Lydia Hadjara shares her harrowing journey of healing after escaping the Raelian movement, a group led by a self-proclaimed prophet. Introduced to the sect by her mother at age four, Lydia faced manipulation and abuse, experiencing trauma that began with sexual coercion. After enduring years of exploitation, she finally broke free at 25 but continues to grapple with her past while her mother remains within the sect. Lydia’s memoir, *I Was His Slave*, details her struggle for identity and recovery.
Lydia Hadjara’s Journey of Healing
Lydia Hadjara is on a path to reclaim her identity, a challenging endeavor after enduring years of trauma. Seventeen years have passed since she escaped the Raelian movement, a controversial group led by a self-proclaimed prophet who, at 78, resides in Japan with his devoted followers. The scars from her experiences remain vivid, as she candidly shares in her book, *I Was His Slave* (City Éditions). To fully grasp her journey, we must look back to her early life.
Entering the Raelian Sect
Lydia’s introduction to the sect came through her mother when she was just four years old. In a revealing interview with Audrey Crespo-Mara, she recounts her early memories: *”The doctrine claimed we were created by extraterrestrials who are 25,000 years ahead of us, and Raël is their messenger tasked with establishing an embassy on Earth.”* From an early age, discussions about sexuality were rampant within the sect. *”Raël’s writings advocated for children to be exposed to sexuality very young. It was a very tactile environment where affection was freely given,”* she explains.
At the age of nine, Lydia caught Raël’s attention while swimming. She recalls, *”I was starstruck; I thought I was meeting someone extraordinary, like Mickey Mouse.”* Raël’s compliments and promises of future companionship left her mother feeling validated, as Lydia notes, *”She lived vicariously through my connection with him.”* However, this admiration soon turned into a nightmare. Lydia reveals, *”By the time I turned 13, I was coerced into performing oral sex with a close aide of the prophet.”* This traumatic experience marked the beginning of a harrowing chapter in her life.
With a sense of foreboding, Lydia shares her experiences of manipulation and abuse within the sect. *”Raël is incredibly intelligent yet profoundly self-centered,”* she observes. *”He has a magnetic hold over his followers, making us doubt our perceptions even when he lies.”* Despite recognizing this manipulation, Lydia admits to being captivated by him. *”I was so immersed in his ideology that I didn’t even realize I was under his control,”* she reflects.
Upon reaching adulthood, Lydia had her first sexual encounter with Raël, who was significantly older. *”He was in his mid-fifties,”* she specifies. The encounter left her feeling conflicted and repulsed, yet she felt compelled to comply, believing she was doing something noble. *”I thought I was privileged and that my actions were for the greater good,”* she recalls, despite feeling revulsion afterward. Lydia’s relationship with her mother was complicated; her mother felt pride in Lydia’s perceived status within the sect.
Eventually, Lydia realized that she had to fulfill the endless sexual demands of the guru, leading her to dissociate from her body during these encounters. *”I would mentally escape, thinking about anything but what was happening to me,”* she reveals. The feelings of shame and dirtiness lingered long after these experiences, but Lydia feared losing the affection and approval she received from her mother and the Raelian community.
At 25, Lydia found the strength to break free from the sect after experiencing a humiliating punishment from Raël. *”I felt shame for disappointing him, and something in me snapped,”* she confesses. The final straw involved a traumatic branding incident that propelled her to escape. Although she left, she never reported Raël, feeling that she bore the blame for what happened. *”I thought he was untouchable, and it took years to come to terms with my experiences,”* she shares, noting that Raël’s influence still lingers in her life. Tragically, her mother remains part of the sect, and Lydia has not had contact with her for nearly 16 years.