210. Circle of Hope Girls Ranch

A few years back an english girl named Chanel Mare escaped from this private Christian detention. Luckily for her she managed to move back to England where she restablished her life. The remaining girls at the ranch were not so lucky. They continued to function as cheap labor in the field receiving “Christian” guidance.

It doesn’t sound like a fun place to be as a teenager.

Sources:

• Horror Stories From Tough-Love Teen Homes (Mother Jones)
• Found Safe: Chanel More – MO – 4/21/2010 (Project Jason)
• Factsheet about the program (Fornits Wiki)

2020 update

The authorities have intervened against the facility. Girls have been removed into the care of the state pending further investigation. As result of this case the legislators of Missouri now looks at the almost bizarre lack of laws covering religious boarding schools in their state. If a child abuser really wanted peace from the law, all he should do is to create a religious boarding school in Missouri and then no authority at all will even look at his business.

This is a list of recent articles:

• Local girls home hit with state investigation (The Cedar County Republican)
• Owners of Missouri Christian boarding school say girls’ abuse allegations are lies (The Kansas City Star)
• After reported abuse at Christian boarding school, some say Missouri law must change (The Kansas City Star)

2021 update

The owners have been arrested charged with many felonies. The only odd thing about these arrest are that the charges against them display very normal behavior from the employees and owners in many other Missouri facilities privately and some publicly managed. What makes them special beside the fact that survivors were very much on social media, is not to say. It could and should happen with the managers of many other facilities in Missouri too.

Circle of Hope Girls’ Ranch owners charged with abuse after women spoke out on TikTok (NBC News)