Robbed Of Her Childhood: Bek Condello On Escaping A Cult

CONTENT WARNING:&nbsp;This&nbsp;episode&nbsp;contains&nbsp;themes of childhood abuse, physical punishment, sexual&nbsp;trauma&nbsp;and coercive control.&nbsp;If you or someone you know needs immediate assistance, call 000.&nbsp;For confidential 24/7 crisis support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au. Support is also available through Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 or at beyondblue.org.au.&nbsp; What if leaving your faith meant losing everyone&nbsp;you'd&nbsp;ever loved?&nbsp; This week on&nbsp;You're&nbsp;Gonna&nbsp;Want&nbsp;To&nbsp;Hear This, Marie Claire Australia Editor Georgie McCourt speaks with author Bek Condello about her extraordinary journey out of one of Australia's most controlling Pentecostal churches.&nbsp; Raised inside the Geelong Revival Centre, Bek grew up believing the outside world was dangerous. Every aspect of life, from education and friendships to marriage and&nbsp;work was dictated by church leaders. Curiosity was discouraged, obedience was demanded, and fear shaped&nbsp;almost every&nbsp;decision.&nbsp; In this deeply personal conversation, Bek reflects on the childhood she now recognises as abusive, the lasting impact of religious trauma and the heartbreaking reality that leaving meant losing her family,&nbsp;community&nbsp;and identity.&nbsp; She also&nbsp;opens up&nbsp;about purity culture, consent, body shame, marrying to escape one form of control only to enter another, and the years it took to trust herself and build a life on her own terms.&nbsp; Today, Bek has transformed unimaginable loss into purpose. As&nbsp;the state of&nbsp;Victoria investigates high-control religious groups, she explains why sharing her story has become about much more than personal healing...&nbsp;it's&nbsp;about helping others recognise coercion, reclaim their&nbsp;autonomy&nbsp;and know&nbsp;they're&nbsp;not alone.&nbsp; This episode covers:&nbsp; Growing up inside the Geelong Revival Centre&nbsp; How high-control religions shape identity&nbsp; Religious trauma and childhood abuse&nbsp; The psychological impact of fear-based faith&nbsp; Purity culture,&nbsp;consent&nbsp;and bodily autonomy&nbsp; <li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="&middot;" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559683&quot;:0,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8