Maple, a victim of JMS, publishes an essay about her experiences

Maple, who appeared in the Netflix documentary "I Am God: Those Betrayed by God," has published a book detailing her experiences as a victim of sexual assault by the leader of JMS (Christian Gospel Mission), Jeong Myeong-seok.

Maple shocked many by publicly testifying about her victimization in the documentary.

Recently, Maple announced on her social media, "I reported JMS when I was 28 years old, three years ago, and shared my face, real name, and all the details of my victimization. Because of that, I was able to bring down this large organization with a 40-year history."

She mentioned, "Today, I've published a book. It is also about JMS. You might wonder why, after the stories told in 'I Am God' and 'I Am a Survivor,' I am sharing the same story again."

Detailed accounts of experiences with cult religion and the recovery process

In this book, Maple shares her experiences starting from the moment she was evangelized by JMS at the age of 16 or 17, detailing the brainwashing process, her exit, and the legal actions she took.

She explained, "After watching the documentary, you may still have many questions. And you might think that cults or sexual abuse are far removed from you. I believe it's because you may not know the details of what I experienced."

Regarding her reason for writing the book, Maple stated, "On a personal level, it is to write down that pain and organize my thoughts for healing. I hope that by seeing my footprints, you will think, 'Ah, if I go that way, I could go down the wrong path,' and I wish for it to serve as a warning for you to avoid such harm."

Transforming pain into something beneficial

Maple's statement, "Pain must be made into something beneficial so that it does not end merely as suffering, but becomes help, comfort, and love for the sufferer, their surroundings, society, and even the world," reflects her determination to transform her painful experiences into a social message.

She added, "We encounter many events in our lives, and as we go through them, we leave traces. Others or future generations might look at those traces to refer or learn from them. I hope that my traces can positively influence people."

Maple emphasized the seriousness of cult issues by warning, "There are not only cult groups but also many manipulative groups throughout society. One can be drawn into them without realizing it."

She expressed, "I hope people can avoid, escape, or help others who are caught up in these situations. I sincerely wish that this social issue will be resolved, especially in Korea and globally."

Meanwhile, Jo Sung-hyun, the director of "I Am God" and "I Am a Survivor," recently stated at a press conference, "Maple will become a mother in December. More than anything, it feels meaningful that survivors can regain happiness in their daily lives and even go on to bring new life into the world. These are truly joyful things."

Image sources: Netflix "I Am a Survivor," Netflix "I Am God: Those Betrayed by God," Netflix "I Am God: Those Betrayed by God"