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Raped 50 times, was a child sex slave: Woman describes Osho cult horror
Prem Sargam recounts her traumatic childhood in the Osho cult, where she faced sexual abuse from age six, under the guise of ‘free love’.
"It was considered good for children to be exposed to sexuality," says 54-year-old Prem Sargam recalling her early childhood as part of a popular Osho cult, which is nothing short of a nightmare and brought to light the most sinister manifestations of human behaviour to a six-year-old.
In an interview with The Times, the UK-based Sargam said she was raised in the "sickening Sannyasin' sex cult" led by Indian mystic Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, aka Osho, and narrated how she was forced to undergo sexual abuse as a minor in the name of "free love."
Sargam further said that she endured grave sexual abuse from the age of six across the three Sannyasin communities - or 'ashrams'- she grew up in.
The woman also gave a detailed account of how Rajneesh's Sannyasin spiritual movement, which was introduced to Sargam by her parents, followed the philosophy that children should regularly watch sex and that girls as they reach a pubic age should be guided by adult men on their sexual journeys.
"It was considered normal for children to talk about sex and watch adults engaging in sexual activities regularly," Sargam told The Times adding that she was exposed to such occurrences since the tender age of six.
"Between the age of seven and 11, I and my friends were coerced into performing sexual acts on grown men living in the commune. We knew something wrong was going on even then," she added.
Also read: The Osho empire with real estate, personal belongings, and intellectual property rights
Sargam's journey with Sanyasin Rajneesh began after her father, disillusioned by the world order moved to Pune to seek enlightenment. Drawn by his experience, Sargam and her mother also joined the said cult. She was forced to change her name, wear orange robes and adopt a philosophy that viewed children as obstacles to parental sexual freedom.
Later, Sargam was sent to the Medina ashram in Suffolk, alone and vulnerable, under the guise of attending a "boarding school" program. However, the exploitation continued. By the time she was 12, Sargam had been relocated to the US, joining her mother at an ashram in Oregon. By that time she had endured rape over 50 times.
Rise Of The Osho Cult
The Rajneesh cult, which later came to be known as the Osho cult, was founded in the 1970s. It heavily attracted Western followers who were seeking spiritual enlightenment.
However, it is believed beneath the spiritual surface, the organisation harboured a dark life of exploitation and sexual abuse of children.
Osho advocated for unrestricted promiscuity, including partner-swapping, from age 14. His unconventional methods of meditation and emphasis on sexual freedom earned him the title "Sex Guru" in India.
