Ngaire Ruth Thomas (1943 – 17 March 2012, first name pronounced Nyree[1]) was a New Zealand author who wrote the book Behind Closed Doors about her life in a conservative Christian sect, the Exclusive branch of the Plymouth Brethren.
At the age of 15 Thomas was approached by elders: "they came to me because they’d heard that there was something between me and my cousin and when they asked me if I had committed fornication, I said oh yes, I suppose so, because I knew I had kissed and cuddled my cousin down in the bushes down behind his house and nobody had explained to me what they were talking about.
And of course I was put in my room on my own for several days and just sort [of] fed through the door until it was my turn to go up in front of the Church of about probably 500 or 600 people.
The sea of stern and solemn faces was just a blur in front of me as I apologised for something I didn't do.
When I had said I was sorry and had been graciously forgiven by the Brethren, I sat down in my seat and cried with humiliation and shame.
[2] She had four children but having had a stroke at the age of 28, she started to take the combined oral contraceptive pill on the advice of her doctor.