More sexual abuse cases against Buddhist monks reported

By Janene Pieters on April 25, 2016 - 15:30
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Buddhist monk (Picture: Wikimedia Commons/Brian Jeffery Beggerly). (Buddhist monk (Picture: Wikimedia Commons/Brian Jeffery Beggerly))

Six cases of sexual abuse by Buddhist monks in the Netherlands were reported to the specially established hotline over the past six months. According to Director Arda Gerkens, some of the cases concern matters that are already public, but there are a few new ones too, NOS reports.

The hotline was launched in November last year, in response to a number of reports of sexual abuse in Buddhist circles.

Gerkens would not comment on the content of the reports, to protect the anonymity of those involved. According to her, it is also too early to draw conclusions on the extent of sexual abuse by Buddhist in the Netherlands, based on this "small number of reports".

Last week the Buddhist Union Netherlands - the contact point between the government and the between 50 thousand and 65 thousand Buddhists in the country - appointed a "trust person" to act as a "backup" for people who do not know where to go with their reports, according to the broadcaster.

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