“Granted, our way of life is not suited to all, and I’ve experienced that with my own family firsthand. However, I’m sure my brothers and sisters can attest with me that we were never abused or suffered the abuse the Family is currently being accused of by some today. To the contrary, we were loved and cared for dearly.”

—Knight, 29, second-generation member of the Family International.

“Through the slander and efforts of a minority of Family ‘haters,’ my mom and my brother and sisters were ripped out of bed in a pre-dawn raid and taken by authorities to an institution in Buenos Aires, Argentina. There, they were abused, probed, fondled and literally terrorized by teams of doctors, police and psychologists off and on for a period of about two months. The trauma they endured lasted months afterward, and disturbed them psychologically for years. That’s my personal family’s experience with abuse.”

—Knight, 29, second-generation member of the Family International.

“I’m not going to say that the Family is perfect, and there are things that I maybe don’t agree with or things I would have done differently, but nothing to the extreme that “Davidito” (Ricky Rodriguez) was talking about. Maybe I’m just naive and innocent but I also grew up in the Family, I’ve been here for 29 years, I’ve been in some of the “communes” these ex-members grew up in, and it seems to me that they mix a lot of fiction with a little truth.”

—Nina Moore, 29, second-generation member of the Family International.

“I respect those of my friends and peers who have decided to leave the Family, most of whom have found something productive to do with their lives, but I don’t appreciate and won’t stand by while some of you look for ways to trample our rights and lives as individuals.”

—Maya Stone, 29, second-generation member of the Family International.

“I don’t believe in violence and have never been a victim of abuse or physical violence in all my years in the Family, either as a kid, teenager or now a mother.”

—Maya Stone, 29, second-generation member of the Family international.

“The reality is, you don’t get a healthier and safer environment to raise children than the Family, and the sad but angering fact is that those who are maligning us know this. Ricky [Rodriguez] knew this.”

—Anne Boleijn, 30, second-generation member of the Family International.

“I’m sure the Bible would have a completely different tale to tell if those who wrote about the life of Jesus were those who crucified him, rather than Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John.”

—Robin Suttin, 30, second-generation member of the Family International

“If I thought my son was ever in danger I’d leave the Family quicker than you can say ‘bungling apostate.’”

—Jude Osborn, 32, second-generation member of the Family International.

“I have been in many of the ‘training centers’ and programs that so many people have complained about, and I can honestly say that though they may have been tough, it was nothing compared to places like West Point, or the youth detention centers I have been involved with helping. At least for the most part, we had people who were concerned about us and had our best interests at heart.”

—Zeph Fischer, 31, second-generation member of the Family International.

“In the 30 years that I have lived within Family homes and in the Family environment I was never abused or harmed in any way by members of the Family. I have lived in several countries, dozens of cities and homes and with hundreds of Family members over the years.”

—Michelle D’Cruz, 30, second-generation member of the Family International.

“Anyway, when all is said and done, I can only speak from my own experience and speak out about my life and what I know to be true. We have nothing to hide or be ashamed of. So bring it on. Ask away.”

—Nadia Paone, 30, second-generation member of the Family International.