International Cult Awareness Month: Carol Merchasin

Let's Talk About Sects

Carol Merchasin spent many years as an employment lawyer. She has also been a partner in the Philadelphia office of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius and director of Morgan Lewis Resources. She has conducted dozens of workplace investigations and taught investigative techniques to human resource professionals at many Fortune 50 companies. She has since joined McAllister Olivarius, where she heads up a practice covering sexual misconduct in religious, faith-based and spiritual communities.

Later in her career, Carol Merchasin was asked to take her investigative background and use it to investigate sexual abuse within various Buddhist and yoga communities. The response she received was one of open hostility – certain religious leaders were not interested in investigating or ensuring their members were safe. This led Carol to the realisation that corporate America, a segment of society not necessarily known for its high moral and ethical standards, was doing far better than religious America when it came to stamping out abuse.

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Links:

• McAllister Olivarius
• Buddhist center in Eugene sued over rape accusation against master guru — by April Ehrlich, OPB, 19 April 2023
• Halifax Shambhala leader accused of sexually assaulting cook at Chilean dinner — by Brett Bundale, CBC, 11 July 2018
• Argentina Arrests Yoga Sex Abusive Teacher, 84 – Will US Follow Suit With Swami, 72? — by Frank Parlato, Frank Report, 15 November 2022

If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, you can find support with, or donate to, Cult Information and Family Support if you’re in Australia, and you can find resources outside of Australia at icsahome.com.

If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention website at iasp.info.

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