An ex-Jehovah's Witness who felt "shunned" by her church after her divorce believes leaving her congregation was the best decision she's made."

Ieva Brown, 41, joined the Jehovah's Witnesses - a Christian-based religious group - in 1996 at just 14 years old after attending a bible group in Latvia with a friend.



After moving to England in 1999, Ieva joined a local group before marrying a non-believer - who then converted. But a decade later their marriage broke down.

Ieva claims she felt "shunned" by her church community due to strict divorce beliefs."

Feeling ''isolated and shamed'', Ieva says she became so stressed she was too unwell to leave the house and suffered exhaustion and anxiety.



Ieva decided to leave the Jehovah's Witnesses in October 2018 to improve her health, she said.

The carer, from the Midlands, said: "After the breakdown of my marriage I was shunned and started having panic attacks. "

"Going through a divorce with two small children was difficult enough, but it was made so much worse by the way I was treated by the other witnesses."



"The congregation held a meeting, and there were around 70 people in attendance - myself included."



"One of items on the agenda was divorce, and it was obvious that they were referring to mine. "

"They encouraged members of the congregation not to keep close association with those who disobey god through unscriptural divorce."



"It was so humiliating."

Ieva grew up as an atheist in Riga, Latvia, under the Soviet Union.

When the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, Ieva was suddenly introduced to a completely new way of life - including new beliefs.



"It completely changed my life, as I was suddenly exposed to so much," she said."

"When the Jehovah's Witnesses started to offer bible studies, I was intrigued to learn more." "

Ieva's father, Bernts, 48, a construction worker, died in 1991 from a heart attack - leaving Ieva's mother Zilite, 75, to raise her alone in extreme poverty, she said.

She was drawn into the religion and "rushed" into getting baptised, and claims that members of the community "encouraged her not to wait"."



Ieva said: "They seemed like nice people, but they believed that when the world ends, only believers will be saved."



"So, I felt like I didn't have time to wait."



''And I definitely wasn't told everything about what joining would involve."

Ieva was baptised in August 1996.

In 1999, when Ieva turned 18, she moved to the UK where she joined a Jehovah's Witnesses group and fell in love with a neighbour.

He was not a Jehovah's Witness, but Ieva "rebelled" and got married in March 2000. "

Ieva said: "I was young and in love, so we got married anyway."



"He later joined the Jehovah's Witnesses and got baptised."

"But before he did, my congregation were furious.''"

Ieva was married for 14 years and had two children, however the couple divorced in 2014.

She claims the "restrictive lifestyle" and teachings of the Jehovah's Witnesses took their toll on their marriage. "

Ieva said that not celebrating Christmas and birthdays impacted her family life.

Ieva claims she struggled with teachings and practices regarding door-to-door visiting and blood transfusions.

She was worried the religion's teachings would prevent her kids having blood transfusions.

She claimed "the culture of reporting on others for supposed 'sins'' took the biggest toll on her physical and mental health"."

The mum-of-two who has fibromyalgia, said: "My health deteriorated so severely."

"But I discovered yoga and meditation."



"Once I started, I realised I had to leave for my health."

She claims elders ''made it difficult'' by texting, calling, and showing up at her home.

But after writing a letter of disassociation - stating that she no longer wanted to be a Jehovah's Witness - she says she was left alone.

Ieva claims her health improved within just a few months and now five years later, she feels able to speak about her past.

"I just wish I'd known what I know now when I was 14," she said."

When approached for comment, The Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, said: '''Jehovah's Witnesses adhere to the Bible's view of marriage and divorce.

''We believe God created marriage to be a permanent union between a man and a woman.

"Nevertheless, individuals may choose to separate or divorce under certain circumstances. "

"[...] Elders respect that each individual is responsible for his or her own decisions regarding marriage and divorce. "

"Therefore, elders neither encourage nor forbid separation or divorce. These are personal matters."

''Also, the allegations about alleged damage to mental health are completely unfounded.

"The reality is different from the allegations that disgruntled former members are eager to spread about religious minorities. "

''[...] We know from experience how allegations from disgruntled former members uncritically published in the media can contribute to a climate of prejudice and intolerance—and sometimes even result in episodes of violence—against our peaceful religious minority.''