B.C. Polygamy Trial Hears Testimony from Plural Wife

The forty-something mother of nine says life is good in Bountiful, B.C.

Testifying anonymously via video link the woman said that the polygamous community of Bountiful is not rife with spousal and child abuse, and that her husband has supported her since she married him at age 16. She also said that girls are no longer married before they are 18, she entered into her marriage willingly, and the only problem with living in a polygamous community is the stigma she faces. The woman is the first plural wife to testify in a landmark court case that will help determine whether or not the Crown will pursue polygamy charges against fundamentalist Mormons. The case came about after charges brought against Bountiful leaders Winston Blackmore and James Oler in 2009 were thrown out.