British woman talks about sexual trauma in Osho’s cult

Godman Rajneesh was a philosophy teacher before starting his spiritual movement in Pune.

A 54-year-old woman has shared her harrowing experience growing up in Indian godman Rajneesh’s infamous sex cult. Prem Sargam, in an interview with The Times, described the rampant sexual abuse she endured in three Sannyasin communities from the age of six.

Ms Sargam’s nightmare began at the age of six when her father left their home in Britain to join the sect’s ashram in Pune. He sought spiritual enlightenment as a sannyasin and left Mrs. Sargam and her mother behind. Mrs. Sargam soon became involved in the cult, was forced to change her name, wear orange robes and adopt a philosophy that viewed children as obstacles to parents’ sexual freedom.

“The other message of the sannyasin teachings, both illegitimate and destructive, was quickly assimilated by those who joined the sect,” Ms. Sargam recalled. This philosophy normalized pedophilia within the sect.

I am pleased to announce the release of my new feature documentary ‘Children of the Cult’, which will be shown in cinemas across the UK and broadcast on ITV Exposure on October 13, 2024. For more information see: https://t .co/TPcSRCYlVnpic.twitter.com/WPn4nM4AP5

— Maroesja Perizonius (@1paarhanden) September 11, 2024

Prem Sargam’s abuse began at the age of seven and escalated to rape at the age of twelve. She vividly remembered the confusion and unease she felt within the cult as a child. “Even in my seven-year-old mind, I thought it was a strange thing to do,” she reflected.

Between the ages of 7 and 11, she and her friends were forced to perform sexual acts with adult men living in the commune.

The abuse didn’t stop there. Ms Sargam was later sent to the Medina Ashram in Suffolk, alone and vulnerable, under the guise of attending a “boarding school programme”. However, exploitation continued. By the time she was 12, Ms. Sargam had moved to the US, where she joined her mother at an ashram in Oregon.

“It wasn’t until I was 16 that I understood what had happened,” she said.

Rajneesh’s movement believed that children should be exposed to sexuality, and that girls going through puberty should be guided by adult men. Mrs Sargam recalls: “It was considered good that the children were exposed to sexuality.”

Founded in the 1970s, the Rajneesh cult attracted Western followers seeking spiritual enlightenment. However, beneath its quiet surface, the organization hides a dark secret: the exploitation and abuse of children.

Rajneesh, later known as Osho, was a philosophy teacher before founding his spiritual movement in Pune. From the age of fourteen he advocated unlimited promiscuity, including partner swapping. Rajneesh’s unorthodox meditation techniques and emphasis on sexual freedom earned him the nickname ‘Sex Guru’ in India. In the US he was called the ‘Rolls-Royce Guru’ because of his collection of 93 luxury cars.

Despite hundreds of children being abused, little has been documented so far. There was one U.S. Child Protective Services investigation into the cult in Oregon, as well as Netflix’s 2018 documentary Wild wild country the children’s experiences left out.

The upcoming documentary Children of the cult tells the story of Prem Sargam, along with two other British women who escaped the cult. “I want the world to know what happened to me and countless others,” Ms Sargam said. “We were innocent children, exploited and abused in the name of spiritual enlightenment.”

The sect’s attempt to build a utopian city in Oregon led to its demise. Osho’s personal secretary, Ma Anand Sheela, was arrested and sentenced to 20 years in prison for crimes including mass food poisoning and attempted murder. Today, there are still small numbers of Rajneesh devotees worldwide.