IL - Victims to leaflet at Buddhist temple

• Former monk faces child sex lawsuit
• He abused a 14 year old and fathered her child
• And he now works at a similar temple in California
• Buddhist officials warn no one and do no outreach, SNAP says
• Similar event being held outside temple in California

Outside a southwest side Temple, clergy sex abuse victims and supporters will hand fliers to temple members about a recently filed child sex lawsuit against a Buddhist monk who admitted having sex with the teen yet is still in ministry in California .The monk reportedly

• admitted to abuse of a thirteen year old, and
• his confession was heard by a temple official who kept Boa-Ubol’s acts secret from the temple board and allowed him to go to another temple.

The fliers urge anyone who may have seen, suspected or suffered child sex crimes here to contact police. 

WHEN:
Sunday, August 21 at 10:00 a.m.

WHERE:
Outside the Theravada Buddhist Temple of Wat Dhammaram, 7059 W 75th St, Chicago, IL.

WHO:
Several sex abuse victims and supporters who belong to a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)

WHY:
Camnong Boa-Ubol, a Buddhist monk here for a decade, is being sued for sexual abuse. Boa-Ubol repeatedly raped and sexually degraded a thirteen-year old girl for nearly two years. He reportedly threatened to kill members of the victim’s family if she ever told anyone or rebuffed his sexual violence.

Temple money was used to try to pay for this victim’s silence. Boa-Ubol ultimately fathered a child with the teenager victim and is also accused of sexually violating another teenager around the same time. Boa- Ubol confessed his acts of sexual molestation, but is allowed to remain a monk and continue working around children at a temple in California. Wat Dhammaram temple officials kept his known acts of sexual violence quiet and allowed him to go on victimizing other young women and children. Boa-Ubol has been accused of sexual misconduct at the California temple as well, but the temple has taken no action and ignored these allegations.

The Chicago Tribune reports that in child sex cases with Theravda Buddhist monks, temple officials refuse to take responsibility for monks’ sexual misdeeds, letting abusers quietly move and keeping information about monks’ sexual violence from law enforcement.

Dr. P. Boonshoo Siburin of Wat Dhammaram heard Boa-Ubol admit molesting a girl. Yet Siburin kept Boa-Ubol’s crimes secret from the temple board and let Boa-Ubol go to another temple where he could victimize additional children. Boonshoo failed to warn the other Temple or try to stop Boa-Ubol in any way. According to SNAP, this lack of discipline and accountability creates a secretive culture where predators can flourish and easily move if they ever face an accusation. Without a strong leadership structure in place, children and vulnerable adults are in a very dangerous situation.

http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2011/jul/31/buddhist-monks-under-fire-in-abuse-case/

CONTACT:
Barbara Blaine, 312-399-4747, [email protected], David Clohessy, 314-566-9790, [email protected], Barbara Dorris, 314-503-0003, [email protected]