13 year old novice rescued after repeated rapes by temple abbot
A 13 year old Thai novice sought help from his family after being repeatedly raped by a pedophile abbot from a temple in the Isaan province of Nakhon Phanom. The victim reportedly kept the rape and sexual assaults secret because he wanted to continue his studies at the temple.
The novice’s mother, 40 year old Lawan, filed a complaint against the alleged rapist, an abbot named Boonsong, at Tart Phanom Police Station yesterday, July 16. Lawan also handed over a medical certificate to the police as evidence of sexual assault.
The novice victim told police that his family could not afford to pay his tuition, so they sent him to be a novice at the temple to study. The novice said that Boonsong sexually assaulted him several times during his two-month stay at the temple but he still wanted to stay to continue his studies.
According to the novice, Boonsong asked him to give him a massage in his private compound, forced him to perform oral sex and later raped him. He was unable to tell anyone about the incident but the sexual assaults became more frequent, so the novice told his mother.
Lawan told police that she was shocked to learn of the sexual assault because her family members respected the abbot. He reportedly lived at the temple for over five years without any rumours of him being a rapist or pedophile.
Lawan admitted that she wanted her son to continue as a novice despite the incident affecting her emotionally. She wanted her son to have a chance to study at the temple.
Community leader Uthit Aoonchai told Channel 7 that Boonsong had confessed to his crime and asked if he could compensate the novice’s family and remain in the monkhood. The monks’ committee, however, rejected his request because of his serious misconduct.
Boonsong said he raped the novice out of love and impulse. He also admitted to sexually assaulting the novice several times during his stay.
Boonsong was forced to leave his monkhood and taken to a local police station for further proceedings. He has been charged with sexual assault and rape of a person under the age of 15, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
