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Child Abuse (inc. sexual) in Buddhist Monasteries in Sri Lanka (Dr. Chandana Namal Rathnayake)

 

60min. video with transcript on youtube


https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/child-abuse-in-buddhist-monasteries-in-sri-lanka/36513/5

summary by @emptystream


In the video, Dr.
 Rathnayake shares his experiences and research on child abuse within monasteries in Sri Lanka.
 He explains that economic factors and cultural norms, especially in rural areas, lead many families to send their young boys to monasteries, seeing it as a pathway to education and better opportunities.
 (I think this is also relevant for Myanmar and Thailand, but unlike those countries, in Sri Lanka ordination is often permanent, with many monks joining as young as age seven.
) This early initiation can expose young boys to a strict, often harsh monastic environment where boundaries are frequently violated.


Dr. Rathnayake highlights the troubling prevalence of physical and sexual abuse in monasteries.
 His research, including informal surveys with monks and his own lived experience, reveals that over half have experienced some form of abuse, while others have witnessed it.
 This abuse is often facilitated by a rigid hierarchy that limits accountability, with novice monks being considered the “property” of their ordaining teacher, who holds complete control over them.


There is no right to privacy for these novices, with senior monks having access to their sleeping quarters at all times.
 Often the abuse occurs due to this unrestricted access while the novice is asleep.
 The lack of protection and oversight for these young novices allows boundary violations to go unchecked, and many monks grow up carrying unresolved trauma.


Dr. Rathnayake points out that while these abuses are known within the community, they are rarely acknowledged or addressed, creating a pervasive culture of silence.
 He spoke to a famous senior monk who dismissed it casually, referring to it as a long-standing, almost normalized part of monastic life.


The trauma resulting from this abuse has long-term effects on former monks’ ability to connect with Buddhist teachings.
 For many survivors, the abuse leads to a lasting sense of disillusionment, impacting their spiritual lives even after they leave the Sangha.


Although he left monastic life himself, Dr.
 Rathnayake continues to find value in the Dhamma and integrates it into his work as a psychotherapist.
 He wants to bring what is happening to light, in order to change the culture of the Sri Lankan Sangha, and ultimately provide a safe monastic environment for novices in accord with the Buddha’s teachings.

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