Osho sexual abuse allegations: Leigh Day investigates potential for legal claim

The sexual abuse is believed to have taken place in the UK at Osho schools in Suffolk and Devon, in India, and in the USA. 

The allegations of child abuse in the schools and communes include:

• Child sexual abuse (grooming, sexual assault, rape, production of pornographic images, being forced to watch adults having sex)
• Forced sterilisation of women and teens
• Trafficking of children (particularly to the UK-based schools)
• Forced labour
• Negligence such as poor care and lack of education
• Children were fitted with invasive contraceptive devices

The Bhagwan/Osho movement was founded by Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, later known as Osho, who led a commune in Oregon, USA, known as “Big Muddy Ranch”, or “Rajneeshpuram”.

Rajneeshpuram collapsed in 1985. Osho died in 1990 and left his estate to the Osho International Foundation (OIF), based in Switzerland.

The story of the Osho communes has been reported by Netflix and the Times.

Leigh Day is exploring the potential of a possible legal claim against OIF after international team lawyers were approached by a 54-year-old woman who alleges that from 1977-1984 (aged seven to 14) she was subjected to multiple incidents of rape, sexual grooming and coerced sexual activities, perpetrated by numerous men in Osho communes.

The alleged abuse occurred at a Suffolk based Osho school known as "Medina" which closed in the 1980s, India, the USA and while she was working as a flight attendant onboard a Rajneesh Air DC3 plane.