Sexual Grooming in a Buddhist Religious Organization: A Case Study

Research on child sexual grooming strategies in religious settings is limited, particularly outside the Catholic Church. This single-case study examines sexual grooming within Buddhism in Slovenia using the content-validated Sexual Grooming Model. The primary data source is a book by the victim, in which the author provides detailed descriptions of the accused’s behavior leading up to the sexual abuse. The findings suggest that most grooming behaviors align with the proposed model and highlight the interaction of situational factors, the victim’s individual vulnerabilities, and environmental risks. The discussion addresses the implications for practice in this area.