A senior female member of Gloriavale said life in the sect is much like Māori culture so she can't understand why her community is constantly attacked when life on a marae is accepted.
It was Gloriavale's turn to fight back in court on Friday with the defence opening its case and women in the religious sect telling the court the community is a place of harmony where they happily work and give all their wages back, and also happily accept being led by the men because God leads the men.
The granddaughter of the late Gloriavale leader Hopeful Christian, Rachel Stedfast is one of a few senior women in the community and acting school principal there. She rejects the claims women are brainwashed.
"It is made out that everyone living at Gloriavale has suffered immense trauma and hurt but this is not true," Stedfast said.
She also rejects her life is being controlled by the leaders
"They don't control when I have a drink, or what underwear I wear," she said.
When it came to getting married, the 39-year-old said she was able to tell them who she wasn't keen on.
"I was asked if there were any young men I didn't want to marry, and I said that there were and I named them," Stedfast said.
She also said she's never been told to have lots of children.
"I take offence at the suggestion that I'm used like an animal to breed."
And said she'd never been denied food for any reason.
"This allegation is an extortion of the truth."
Stedfast visited a marae as part of her role in the education sector at Gloriavale and said she saw a similarity with Gloriavale because there was communal work that went unpaid. She said she couldn't understand why that way of life is accepted while hers is attacked.
"A Māori proverb speaks of the spirit of togetherness and helping one another."
The court is considering whether six women who did domestic duties at Gloriavale are volunteers or employees.
Brian Henry, who is the lawyer for the plaintiffs, put to her that most people on a marae also earn their own money. He asked why she wanted to be part of a society where females are subservient to males.
"They don't control me, they lead me and guide me," Stedfast said.
Stedfast said she loves her work and is happy to give all her earnings back to her brothers and sisters in the community. She said the young girls are happy to work early mornings in the kitchen before school.
"It's a spirit of wanting to be there, wanting to be part of what's happening, wanting to give."
She said she's never complained to her husband or the leadership about anything that's happened at Gloriavale.
