Born a Romani girl in the US, in a very insulated group, Paulina Stevens had her future laid out for her. She was set in an arranged marriage to her cousin at 14 years old and after her dowry was paid, her new family claimed they “owned her”. Things got dark and possessive very quickly and no one would help her. After having chiIdren and realizing she needed to escape, she would spend years fighting back against threats, legal battles and now the indoctrination of her own chiIdren by their father and his family. She still cherishes parts of the Romani traditions and educates people in the culture. 

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Book:  Secrets of Romani Fortune Telling

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**Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**

Chapter Marks

00:00:00 Intro

00:03:28 Background on the Romani, Early Memories

00:07:52 CW: Mentions of R*pe, C Marriages, Cultural History of the Romani People and How it Still Affects Them

00:11:04 Paulina’s ChiIdhood and How She Was Denied a Traditional Education

00:16:27 Fortune Telling, and Traditional Aspects of her Romani Group

00:22:19 External Pressures That Led to Paulina to Get Married as a Teenager

00:27:27 Double Standards in Paulina’s Romani Community and the Control They Impose Over Women

00:32:54 CW: SA, Stark Differences Paulina Experienced in her In-Law's Family

00:37:45 The Pressure To Have ChiIdren and Paulina’s Family's Involvement in Her Parenting

00:41:25 Why She Decided To Leave Her Community & Her Experiences Fighting for Custody

00:48:00 Paulina’s Struggles Fighting for Custody

00:51:14 How Paulina’s ChiIdren Are Being Influenced By the Romani Community & How She Stays Involved in Her Heritage

00:54:22 How Paulina was and Still is Negatively Treated by some in the Romani Community

01:01:28 Paulina Shares About Her Life Now

01:05:16 Final Thoughts and Linda Listen

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