[T]he model of clergy misconduct recognizes that consent is not possible between clergy and congregants.”

As of 2025, fourteen states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws that make it illegal for clergy to engage in sexual misconduct with adult congregants.”

[I]t is important to recognize that sexual abuse and misconduct in Buddhism is a global issue and that victims/survivors of abuse exist in Buddhist contexts worldwide.”

‘ Sexual Violation’:  “to violate means to infringe upon someone, to transgress and can also mean to rupture or to break. Violations can happen with stealth, with manipulation…to anyone who is significantly vulnerable to the office of others.”

If you’re a clergy person, and you have what seems to you and them to be a consensual sexual relationship, that is still considered criminal in 13 states….Consent is a slippery if not non-existent idea when it comes to spiritual teachers and students of any kind.”

Even when they [victim-survivors] are involved in sexual misconduct, they do not necessarily want to have the sexual attention or the sexual acts, but they feel that they must. And so along with ‘why didn’t they leave?’, which is a question which puts the burden attention on the victim, or survivor rather that the person who abused their power, there’s another question that comes up all the time, which is ‘What didn’t you consent?’ “

[T]here is something particularly insidious about spiritual trauma; it is almost always relational, often occurs at a young age, may happen over long periods, and is normative, ignored, and sometimes framed as a great good.”

One of the most damning and destructive parts of spiritual trauma is the way that the diminishment of humanness is handed down as spiritual maturity. And it’s actually more a perpetuation of dominance and control than love.” – K.J. Ramsey

The following list identifies specific ways religion can be abusive: Coercion and threats; Intimidation; Emotional abuse; Isolation; Minimizing, Denying and blaming; Patriarchal privilege; Economic abuse.  These categories … are not exhaustive, but they give you an idea of the ways HCRs [high-control religions] gain power and control. “

Religious abuse is the improper use of religious beliefs, teachings, doctrines and relationships against another person.”