'Your child won't listen? She's four, she should know to sit still at meetings. The bible says to beat the shit out of her to get her to listen. Because you love her and obedience to you and Jehovah means her very life!'. 'Your child doesn't accept our word and interpretation of the bible as the Truth? She's fourteen. She should be able to make a decision we will use against her the rest of her life. The bible (and in reality, our Watchtower) says to beat the shit outta her in an emotional way. Because that's how you show love for her. And due to our dependence on a single word in the bible, and our deliberate lying about a date no one else accepts as factual, we know blindly accepting our word means her very life.'. SMH. If they treated converts like this, shunning them into accepting their beliefs, they would attract even fewer people from outside than they do. Because outsiders can just walk away. Most do.
The children of JWs are literally a captive audience. Trapped.

As you noted, many of us had to cobble together our new families. They may be partly 'wordly' members we become closer with once we leave. They may be friends who become true friends, not acquaintances who will abandon us on a moment's notice, simply because they are told to.

Good for you that you have found those people. Good for you that you are finding your own path and a sense of peace.

Remember, the bully or narcissist is not the one who is strong. The one who is strong is the one they try to beat down, the one they try to suck the life out of, the one they try to manipulate. Because that person gets up, shakes themselves off, says 'Nope, don't need you for anything', and goes off without looking back at the abuser behind them.

To have gotten this far you are a strong woman. Congratulations, and may true peace, true love, and genuine understanding be your paths.