[T]he term ‘sexual violation’ …captures ‘a broad set of events beyond those involving explicit forms of violence,’ and acknowledges ‘structural constraints on consent.’ “

As [Linda Martin Alcoff] explains ‘To violate is to infringe upon someone, to transgress, and it can also mean to rupture or to break. Violations can happen with stealth, with manipulation, with soft words and a gentle touch to a child, or an employee, or anyone who is significantly vulnerable to the offices of others.’ “

While the survivors we were able to interview all identify as female, this is not true of all survivors of abuse in Buddhist contexts…[list of publicized examples of Buddhist abuse targeting cis-men]…This reflects general statistics on sexual violence, which, according to RAINN, impacts women (and girls) at high rates.”

Many survivors had reported to us that they felt as harmed by poor institutional and community responses to the abuse as by the abuse itself.”

[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.”

The naming of what counts as sexual abuse is a key battle site in attempts to bring justice to victim/survivors in Buddhist contexts.”

One group that works with those harmed by clergy sexual abuse offers this insight: ‘In our work with survivors of clergy sexual abuse we often ask the question, Would this have happened if he/she was your neighbor and not your pastor? Overwhelmingly the answer is ‘no’. The witness of survivors underscores the truth that the clergy role carries with it a power and authority that make meaningful consent impossible.”

One important factor to keep in mind is that abuse does not have to be physical; in many cases, it may be verbal or emotional. This seemingly less severe abuse often leads the victim to doubt her reactions because she is not being physically attacked and may  not be able to explain the abuse to herself or others.”

It was during these years – the 1980s and1990s – that one after another prominent male Buddhist teacher was revealed to have engaged in sexual misconduct or abuse and became the subject of scandal. Buddhism clearly had a problem on its hands, and it still does; the sexual abuse of students by male Buddhist teachers continues to this day…These events and their harmful effects need to be acknowledged in any book on modern Buddhism.”

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