Sexual Misconduct in Shambhala Addressed by CBC Radio

On Wednesday, CBC Radio in Halifax, Nova Scotia, interviewed a Shambhala member who has issued a report on sexual misconduct in the community, followed by an interview with a leader in the organization. Shambhala is one of the largest Buddhist communities in the West; its headquarters is in Halifax.

Andrea Winn, a leadership coach and second-generation Shambhala Buddhist, recently completed a one-year informal report on sexual abuse in Shambhala, entitled Project Sunshine. In the interview, she described a history of sexual misconduct within the community, including abuse she suffered herself, and the struggle of survivors to heal and be heard.

Winn’s interview was followed by a response from Joshua Silberstein, Chair of Shambhala’s Kalapa Council, who described new policies and procedures the organization is developing to address sexual misconduct. In February, the Kalapa Council published an open letter that acknowledged past “instances of sexual harm and inappropriate relations” and stated that Shambhala “must do better.”

Winn’s report and the Kalapa Council’s letter also received coverage in The Guardian and Newsweek in March.