I left in 2001, I say escape because it took six months to a year for them to stop harassing me, stalking me, threatening me, and to untangle myself financially. Not to mention the brainwashing that had to be undone (still working through some issues now, over 20 years later)
We have large families and half of mine are ‘out’ of it all thank god and we get on


. The other have are in and have no contact at all, have blocked us completely. Contact with my parents is limited and awkward as they have been told not to have anything to do with us.
The decision to leave didn’t feel brave at the time, I was constantly looking over my shoulder waiting for god to ‘smite’ me for daring to leave!