Cults & Society
 Department: Group Report
__________________________________________________
Featured Group Report

Hare Krishna: child abuse
  
 
   
 
     

6/22

Child Abuse in the Hare Krishna Movement:1971-1986

E. Burke Rochford, Jr. with Jennifer Heinlein  

[continued]

Reports by second generation youth, parents and educators alike suggest that a proportion of the children who attended the gurukula suffered psychological, physical and sexual abuse.  Yet it remains unclear just how many children were abused directly, or otherwise witnessed their friends and classmates being abused.  The latter represents a form of psychological abuse in its own right.

Lacking reliable quantitative findings, it becomes extremely difficult to determine with any degree of precision what the actual incidence of child abuse was within ISKCON's gurukulas.  Unfortunately, we are left to estimates of uncertain quality.  Over the years any number of estimates have been offered ranging from 20% of all students who attended an ashram-gurukula suffering some form of abuse, to as many as 75% of the boys enrolled at the Vrindavan, India, gurukula having been sexually molested during the late 1970s and early 1980s.  Whatever the actual incidence of child abuse, it remains clear that abuse directly and indirectly influenced the lives of a sizeable number of children.  Yet, child abuse did not occur uniformly, either across gurukulas, or, very often, even within the same school. As one long-time teacher concluded, child abuse . . . wasn't all-pervasive. It wasn't in all gurukulas.  It didn't affect all children.  But it was in enough schools and affected enough children and it went on for enough time . . . (Interview 1990)13 

Abuse and neglect within the gurukula took a variety of forms.  The following statements from young adults and former gurukula students indicate the kinds of abuse that occurred. 

. . . I remember dark closets filled with flying dates (large three inch, flying cockroaches) and such, while beatings and ‘no prasadam’ for dinner became everyday affairs. (Devi Dasi, K. 1990:1)

         

Seattle was hell because I was only six years old, my mom lived in Hawaii and I had always been a very shy mommy's girl.  The movement was in its earlier stages and the devotees were fanatical beyond fanatical.  I mean, they would give us a bowl of hot milk at night, so I would, of course, pee in my bed.  Then as punishment they would spank me very hard and make me wear the contaminated panties on my head.  In general, at that time, because I was so young, I was so spaced out and confused.  I would cry. . .for my mom, but that wasn't allowed, so I would say I was crying in devotional ecstasy.  I really regret Seattle because I had a dire need for my mother's warmth and reassurance at that time in my life. (Second Generation Survey 1992)

 

The teacher used to say, ‘Oh, you don't know when you are going to die.  You could die in your sleep.’  And one day I was really bad and one of my teachers said, ‘Who knows you might die tonight. Krishna might be punishing you.  He might be taking away your life . . .’ And from that night on I used to pray every night, ‘Krishna please don't kill me.  I promise I will be a good girl tomorrow. Please let me get fixed up enough so I can go back to Godhead.  Don't take me in my sleep.’  And for years I had insomnia.  I was too afraid to go back to sleep. (Interview 1991)14     

1/22 < > 22/22

______________________________________________ ^
 

Cults & Society
 Department: Group Report
__________________________________________________
Featured Group Report

Hare Krishna: child abuse
  
 
   
 
     

6/22

Child Abuse in the Hare Krishna Movement:1971-1986

E. Burke Rochford, Jr. with Jennifer Heinlein  

[continued]

Reports by second generation youth, parents and educators alike suggest that a proportion of the children who attended the gurukula suffered psychological, physical and sexual abuse.  Yet it remains unclear just how many children were abused directly, or otherwise witnessed their friends and classmates being abused.  The latter represents a form of psychological abuse in its own right.

Lacking reliable quantitative findings, it becomes extremely difficult to determine with any degree of precision what the actual incidence of child abuse was within ISKCON's gurukulas.  Unfortunately, we are left to estimates of uncertain quality.  Over the years any number of estimates have been offered ranging from 20% of all students who attended an ashram-gurukula suffering some form of abuse, to as many as 75% of the boys enrolled at the Vrindavan, India, gurukula having been sexually molested during the late 1970s and early 1980s.  Whatever the actual incidence of child abuse, it remains clear that abuse directly and indirectly influenced the lives of a sizeable number of children.  Yet, child abuse did not occur uniformly, either across gurukulas, or, very often, even within the same school. As one long-time teacher concluded, child abuse . . . wasn't all-pervasive. It wasn't in all gurukulas.  It didn't affect all children.  But it was in enough schools and affected enough children and it went on for enough time . . . (Interview 1990)13 

Abuse and neglect within the gurukula took a variety of forms.  The following statements from young adults and former gurukula students indicate the kinds of abuse that occurred. 

. . . I remember dark closets filled with flying dates (large three inch, flying cockroaches) and such, while beatings and ‘no prasadam’ for dinner became everyday affairs. (Devi Dasi, K. 1990:1)

         

Seattle was hell because I was only six years old, my mom lived in Hawaii and I had always been a very shy mommy's girl.  The movement was in its earlier stages and the devotees were fanatical beyond fanatical.  I mean, they would give us a bowl of hot milk at night, so I would, of course, pee in my bed.  Then as punishment they would spank me very hard and make me wear the contaminated panties on my head.  In general, at that time, because I was so young, I was so spaced out and confused.  I would cry. . .for my mom, but that wasn't allowed, so I would say I was crying in devotional ecstasy.  I really regret Seattle because I had a dire need for my mother's warmth and reassurance at that time in my life. (Second Generation Survey 1992)

 

The teacher used to say, ‘Oh, you don't know when you are going to die.  You could die in your sleep.’  And one day I was really bad and one of my teachers said, ‘Who knows you might die tonight. Krishna might be punishing you.  He might be taking away your life . . .’ And from that night on I used to pray every night, ‘Krishna please don't kill me.  I promise I will be a good girl tomorrow. Please let me get fixed up enough so I can go back to Godhead.  Don't take me in my sleep.’  And for years I had insomnia.  I was too afraid to go back to sleep. (Interview 1991)14     

1/22 < > 22/22

______________________________________________ ^
 

Cults & Society
 Department: Group Report
__________________________________________________
Featured Group Report

Hare Krishna: child abuse
  
 
   
 
     

6/22

Child Abuse in the Hare Krishna Movement:1971-1986

E. Burke Rochford, Jr. with Jennifer Heinlein  

[continued]

Reports by second generation youth, parents and educators alike suggest that a proportion of the children who attended the gurukula suffered psychological, physical and sexual abuse.  Yet it remains unclear just how many children were abused directly, or otherwise witnessed their friends and classmates being abused.  The latter represents a form of psychological abuse in its own right.

Lacking reliable quantitative findings, it becomes extremely difficult to determine with any degree of precision what the actual incidence of child abuse was within ISKCON's gurukulas.  Unfortunately, we are left to estimates of uncertain quality.  Over the years any number of estimates have been offered ranging from 20% of all students who attended an ashram-gurukula suffering some form of abuse, to as many as 75% of the boys enrolled at the Vrindavan, India, gurukula having been sexually molested during the late 1970s and early 1980s.  Whatever the actual incidence of child abuse, it remains clear that abuse directly and indirectly influenced the lives of a sizeable number of children.  Yet, child abuse did not occur uniformly, either across gurukulas, or, very often, even within the same school. As one long-time teacher concluded, child abuse . . . wasn't all-pervasive. It wasn't in all gurukulas.  It didn't affect all children.  But it was in enough schools and affected enough children and it went on for enough time . . . (Interview 1990)13 

Abuse and neglect within the gurukula took a variety of forms.  The following statements from young adults and former gurukula students indicate the kinds of abuse that occurred. 

. . . I remember dark closets filled with flying dates (large three inch, flying cockroaches) and such, while beatings and ‘no prasadam’ for dinner became everyday affairs. (Devi Dasi, K. 1990:1)

         

Seattle was hell because I was only six years old, my mom lived in Hawaii and I had always been a very shy mommy's girl.  The movement was in its earlier stages and the devotees were fanatical beyond fanatical.  I mean, they would give us a bowl of hot milk at night, so I would, of course, pee in my bed.  Then as punishment they would spank me very hard and make me wear the contaminated panties on my head.  In general, at that time, because I was so young, I was so spaced out and confused.  I would cry. . .for my mom, but that wasn't allowed, so I would say I was crying in devotional ecstasy.  I really regret Seattle because I had a dire need for my mother's warmth and reassurance at that time in my life. (Second Generation Survey 1992)

 

The teacher used to say, ‘Oh, you don't know when you are going to die.  You could die in your sleep.’  And one day I was really bad and one of my teachers said, ‘Who knows you might die tonight. Krishna might be punishing you.  He might be taking away your life . . .’ And from that night on I used to pray every night, ‘Krishna please don't kill me.  I promise I will be a good girl tomorrow. Please let me get fixed up enough so I can go back to Godhead.  Don't take me in my sleep.’  And for years I had insomnia.  I was too afraid to go back to sleep. (Interview 1991)14     

1/22 < > 22/22

______________________________________________ ^