Valeska Paris was born into the Church of Scientology. She says she was abused as a child on Sea Org ships, forced to work, and even sexually abused
Three Scientology defectors are suing church leader David Miscavige, alleging they were trafficked as children and forced into “hazardous” labor aboard controversial Sea Org ships.
Gawain Baxter, his wife Laura and Valeska Paris all sued the church in Tampa this week, claiming they were forced to work on the ships when they were just six years old.
They said they had to sign contracts promising “one billion years” of service to the church and work for “low, even no pay.”
Gawain Baxter said his parents took him to a Sea Org daycare when he was two months old.
At the age of six, he was forced to sign the Billion Year Treaty and moved into a Cadet Org dormitory with about 100 other children.
“Children over the age of six are considered adults and are often told that they should behave and expect to be treated like adults.
“They are even called children now; rather, they must be referred to as “cadets,” the lawsuit states.
They claimed that church organizers and Sea Org leaders allowed them to see their parents only once a week, but that visits could be canceled at short notice if they felt the child was in trouble.
“From the ages of six to fourteen, Gawain was not allowed to attend any recognized public or private school. Instead, the schoolwork consisted of two to three hours a day of basic literacy and arithmetic in a classroom with thirty other children under the supervision of Linda Hilton, the cadet coordinator’s wife.
Children over the age of six are considered adults and are often told that they should behave and expect to be treated like adults
“From the age of ten, Gawain also had to spend an hour or two a day in Scientology indoctrination classes.
“The cost of each course was recorded as a debt that Gawain would owe if he ever left Cadet Org or Sea Org,” the lawsuit reads.
Scientology children are sent as “cadets” on the Sea Org ship “Freewinds”. They are forced to promise “one billion years of service.”
In addition to his “schooling,” he had to do “five to ten hours a day” of unpaid work.
When he was 14, he said, he was transferred to a different phase of the program, where he was forced to do unpaid work up to 12 hours a day renovating homes and cleaning.
“Gawain suffered from sleep deprivation, was given little time to eat and was berated by his adult superiors,” said the trio’s attorney.
The lawsuit alleges Scientology leader David Miscavige is aware of the child abuse and forced labor and is making it possible with donations to the church
This phase lasted three months and ended with him joining the Sea Org Force.
Paris claims she was repeatedly sexually assaulted by a Sea Org supervisor.
Her duties included landscaping and caring for newborns born to other members.
When she was 17, her mother fled the church. She says she was punished for it.
She claims that one of her sentences was being locked in an engine room on the ship for 48 hours when the temperature inside was over 100 degrees.
She decided to leave in 2011.
By then she had been taken to Australia by the organization.
She claims the church confiscated her passport and left with her “without ID and no money” when she finally managed to free herself.
She came out by intentionally getting pregnant – which was forbidden on the ship – and says she pretended to continue the pregnancy even after a miscarriage.
A senior officer of Valeska’s, who told her that if she left, she would get cancer and die, and reminded her that she would have to pay back all her parasite debts… Valeska was aware that members of the Sea Org have no children you may have been pregnant on purpose
“Another senior official then yelled at Valeska, telling her she would get cancer and die if she left and reminded her that she would have to pay back all her parasite debts.
“Valeska was aware that members of the Sea Org are not allowed to have children, so she intentionally became pregnant and refused to terminate her pregnancy.
“After six weeks, Valeska miscarried but continued to pretend to be pregnant so she would be forced to leave Sea Org,” the lawsuit reads.
Gawain’s wife Laura also grew up aboard the ships. She says she suffered similar abuse.
It’s unclear exactly when they left the church, but it’s believed they both settled in Australia.
Scientology and Miscavige have not yet responded to the claims in the lawsuit.