'The Vow' Episode 3: Sarah Edmondson divulges secrets of DOS and the 'master-slave' relationship within NXIVM
HBO's latest docuseries dives deep into the history of NXIVM (pronounced Nex-e-um) -- the organization linked to businessman Keith Raniere, 'Smallville' actress Allison Mack' and many federal charges, including sex trafficking and child sex trafficking. 'The Vow' refers to the literal vow women who joined a secret sex cult within NXIVM were made to take -- that they would not sleep with anyone else besides Raniere himself. In the first episode, actors Sarah Edmondson and Bonnie Piesse, and filmmaker Mark Vicente (who is married to Piesse) spoke about getting involved in NXIVM. In the second episode, Piesse and Vicente described their experiences getting out -- Piesse had started to feel something was wrong, while Vicente needed more convincing. What helped Vicente see what Piesse already did was learning of a secret division within NXIVM itself and as he speaks to Edmondson -- who joined NXIVM on his recommendation -- he learned that she was invited to be a part of it.
Sarah Edmondson's experience with NXIVM is no secret -- she was a whistleblower whose testimony proved vital in bringing out the horrors behind the doors of NXIVM. The third episode of 'The Vow' focuses on Edmondson's experiences with DOS and what finally pushed her -- and her husband and fellow NXIVM member, Anthony "Nippy" Ames -- to leave NXIVM. Edmondson tells the camera that the group known as DOS used women empowerment so that they could "really do something." Motivated by the election of President Donald Trump, the women got excited about an underground concept -- that they could not be thwarted because "nobody would know."
In Latin, the letters DOS are short for what roughly translates to “Dominant Over Submissive,” and perhaps the ones who joined only expected the "master-slave relationship" between the women. Edmondson was invited to join by Lauren Salzman -- the daughter of NXIVM's co-founder, Nancy Salzman. Lauren acted in the role of Edmondson's therapist, best friend and superior. The two women were so close that Lauren was her Maid of Honor and as Edmondson heard that Raniere wrote Piesse and Vicente's wedding vows, she asked permission to use the same vows at her wedding to Ames. Lauren was also made godmother to Edmondson's son, Troy.
Lauren invited Edmondson to become a part of DOS at a time when she was having some issues with Ames -- while Edmondson was flourishing running the Vancouver center of NXIVM, Ames wanted to go back to America where he was more comfortable. Ames was also in another society within NXIVM, the Society of Protectors (SOP) -- a workshop reportedly for men about commitment and honor. Ames admits that they were having issues because they were two alphas.
Lauren told Edmondson about DOS and said that it was "incredibly helpful" in her life. She also tells her that the reason why Edmondson is stuck in the Stripe Path -- the ranking system within NXIVM where promotions were usual every six months, but Edmondson's last had been two and a half years prior. When Edmondson said she was interested, Lauren told her she could not give any more information unless she got collateral. Lauren also describes that collaterals should "take into consideration the following areas to make sure they are thorough: work, family, social credibility, important people, assets, wealth, rights, [and] possessions." Lauren describes to her that it should be something that she "feels nauseated about." When Edmondson responds that she does not have secrets or a dark sordid past, Lauren told her to make it up. Edmondson agreed to Lauren filming her, while she "sh*t-talked" her family and said, "awful things with no basis in reality." Later, Edmondson was asked for new collateral every month like the deed to her home. The episode also shows a clip of Raniere saying that "commitment has to be collateralized."
Lauren was Edmondson's "master" and had other "slaves" under her. Lauren's master was Edmondson's "Grandmaster" and so the hierarchy would go. Once Edmondson said she was in, aside from more collateral, she was asked for nude photos. Lauren being her "master" meant that Edmondson had to be accountable to her all the time -- greeting her in the morning, in the night and asking permission for daily life such as even going to sleep. Edmondson was then asked to travel to Albany for an initiation ceremony to get a tattoo which consisted of seven lines that were said to represent the four elements, including the sky, the mountain which is the earth and the river.
When Edmondson got to Albany, she was asked to taker her clothes off and was blindfolded with four other women who had come for the "initiation ceremony." The women were then driven blindfolded and naked, however, Edmondson took a peek under her blindfold and understood they were going to Allison Mack's house. Edmondson then describes the branding process in detail and how she realized she did not want to do it. Pain was seen as weakness and she forced herself to push through to keep Lauren's respect as the latter told her to overcome her fear. After she was branded, Edmondson was asked to enroll others in the secret society.
Vicente says he believed Mack was at the top of the hierarchy of DOS. Edmondson -- on realizing the mark she was branded with were the initials AM (for Allison Mack) -- would agree. Edmondson's slave at the time noticed another set of initials, however -- KR, for Keith Raniere. When Sarah understood that the brand was actually their initials, she demanded Lauren to get rid of all her collateral, worrying they were in Keith's hands. Unlike the women who were brought in to become sex slaves for Raniere, Edmondson understood that she was brought in as a recruitment tool. Edmondson says she felt responsible for bringing in Nicki Clyne and Allison Mack and in her conversation with Vicente, they wonder whether another 'Smallville' actress, Kristen Kreuk left NXIVM because she was approached for similar reasons. Vicente says that he is "90 percent sure [that] something uncool happened" He says there have been many women who left who look the same -- they are young, pretty, skinny -- and that they won't say anything because they are scared. Edmondson also asked Vicente to tell her husband about the branding.
When Ames found out, he was angry about what happened. Ames also speaks in the documentary saying he initially blamed Bonnie Piesse but realized that Piesse had seen Raniere for who he really was. Ames had confronted Lauren on learning about the branding, angry about Raniere marking Edmondson so close to the crotch. Lauren, after speaking to Ames, then asks Edmondson if she told anything to Ames, but Edmondson fought back. As a result, Edmondson found out that Lauren was telling other people in NXIVM that she was unhinged. When she left NXIVM's Vancouver center, she recorded the exchange she had with other members where she warned them about what was going on.
If the first two episodes were about delving into Raniere's personality, the third episode was about delving into how the women got trapped within his organization. While women like Mack and Lauren seemed to be completely enamored by Raniere, others, like Piesse and Edmondson had realized what they had gotten into. It also showed how women agreed to become a part of DOS in the first place -- masters would give their slaves instructions to seduce Raniere and let him do what he wished.
'The Vow' airs on HBO on Sunday nights at 10/9c.