Australia ashram abuse cases: victims seek compensation

Victims of sexual assaults committed at an Indian yoga ashram in Australia have sought A$1 million (around $832,000) compensation each, media reported Wednesday.

Six of the nine victims who have given evidence to the Royal Commission into Institutional Response to Child Sexual Abuse about the trauma they suffered at the Satyananda Yoga Ashram at Mangrove Mountain in the Australian state of New South Wales between the 1970s and 1980s have formally requested financial redress through their legal counsel, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Wednesday, the final day of the inquiry, the commission heard about the ashram's efforts to help the victims, which included an invitation to attend a fire ceremony.

Fire ceremonies were used for healing purposes in the yoga tradition.

Peter O'Brien, legal representative for the six victims seeking damages, questioned the effectiveness of the response.

"People chanting around a fire was never, ever going to go anywhere near a healing process for these people," he said.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Response to Child Sexual Abuse is yet to announce its verdict in the cases.