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Woman Held Hostage on Scientology Cruise Ship ‘Freewind’ for 12-Years [Video]

Posted: December 1, 2011

church of scientology

Valeska Paris is a member of the Church of Scientology, but apparently, it isn’t by choice. Paris claims that she was held against her will on the Scientology cruise ship “Freewind” for 12-years.

Paris says that she was brought onto the cruise ship when she was 17-years-old by Scientology leader David Miscavige after Paris’ mother tried to leave the church. In an interview with ABC, Paris says that she was taking to the cruise ship for a “two week” trip, but that she was kept on board for more than a decade.

Paris said:

“I was basically hauled in and told that my mum had attacked the church and that I needed to disconnect from her because she was suppressive. He (Miscavige) decided the ship, and I found out two hours before my plane left, I was woken up in the morning and I was sent to the ship for “two weeks.”

The Daily Mail reports that Paris’ mother had publicly denounced Scientology on French TV after her ex-husband Albert Jaquier committed suicide. Jaquier, a self-made millionaire, blamed the church for swindling him out of his fortune before his death.

Paris, who now lives in Australia, says that she was never allowed to leave the ship without an escort and that she couldn’t flea because the church had taken her passport. Paris also claims that the Church forced her to work long hours at the bottom of the ship.

Paris said:

“They take your passport when you go on the ship and you’re in the middle of an island. So it’s a bit hard [to escape] and by that time I was 18, I’d been in Scientology my whole life, it’s not like I knew how to escape.”

The Church of Scientology released a statement saying that Paris’ accusations are absolutely false. The statement reads:

“She certainly wasn’t “forced” to be there. She was also never forced to perform labour in the engine room. The Freewinds is a wonderful place, as even Valeska said on numerous occasions. Her allegation that she could only leave the ship with an escort is totally false.”

According to the Daily Mail, the Freewinds Cruise Ship is used by the Church of Scientology to deliver its highest level counselling course known as Operating Thetan Level VIII.

Here’s the video of Valeska Paris talking about her experience on the Scientology Cruise Ship “Freewind” on ABC.

Do you believe Paris’ story? Was she really held captive on the Scientology cruise ship?

Comments


11 Archived Responses to “ Woman Held Hostage on Scientology Cruise Ship ‘Freewind’ for 12-Years [Video] ”

  1. Louanne Lee
    Dec 1, 2011

    You must be completely out of your mind! I just saw this Scientology story and by personal experience I can say nothing is further from the truth. Did you even look at the Church's statement?

    http://www.scientologynews.org/freewindsresponse

    I strongly recommend the Church of Scientology is suing you for this.

  2. David Reynolds
    Dec 1, 2011

    there are two groups of scientologists that are growing at the moment: ex-scientologists and independent scientologists. Members of both have their own horror stories to tell.

    It's evident the church of scientology is very good at creating pissed off people who all say their life was ruined by the organisation calling itself the church of scientology.

    The big difference between ex-scientologists and independents is that the independent scientologists believe Hubbards religion to be good and helpful and more importantly yhat's what Hubbard intended when he set it yp. The ex-scientologists believe Hubbard made it up to make money.

  3. Roger Hornaday
    Dec 2, 2011

    This story jibes with hundreds of other testimonials. My personal experience in the Sea Organization.
    confirms to me the veracity of the church's countless critics.

  4. James Johnson
    Dec 2, 2011

    Well if the Church of Scientology released a statement they must be telling the truth. Perhaps murderers on death row could do the same and we can just free them all from prison.

  5. James St John
    Dec 2, 2011

    Who in their right mind believes a story like this? Regardless of who they are accusing "made" them do it… Please….
    I found the statement… good for them. Everyone has a right to defend themselves and they seem to address obvious questions.
    scientologynews.org/statements/freewinds-valeska-guider.html

  6. Rae Moyes
    Dec 2, 2011

    Valeska's story is not believable at all. It took her so many years before she cries out like this? If she really was imprisoned she wouldn't not wait many years before going to the authorities. And what, she talks to the press before anyone else? It has PR stunt written all over it.

  7. Lisa Springfield
    Dec 2, 2011

    I don't believe her either. The story sounded a little far fetched but then, she made changes to her own story. I just read the Churches statement and her husband concurs her story is a lie. This is just tabloid news gone wild.

  8. Darien Morea
    Dec 6, 2011

    I went to the Freewinds last year over New Year's. It was a really fun way to start the year. I basically spent most of my time with friends eating, touring Aruba – they put on a hell of a fireworks display on New Year's eve, snorkling in Bonaire and shopping in Curacao. Had a great tour of the kitchens, too (because I'm in the food business. ) The ship is in pristine condition. The staff all seemed to really enjoy themselves and the one's I questioned said they loved working there.

  9. Greg Cunningham
    Jan 16, 2012

    if that is the facts, the first place i went would be the police! going shopping and doing other things off the ship would not be the first, second or even the third thing on my todo list!


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