California residents might be interested to hear that the founder of a popular style of yoga was accused of rape and sexual assault. Furthermore, a lawyer for a former employee of the guru told the Huffington Post that the man inspired fear in his employees and ran his company like a cult. A civil rights attorney stated that the company threatened to have her client and her 8-year-old daughter deported after she stood up to the man.
A former legal advisor for Bikram’s Yoga College of India is the plaintiff in a lawsuit that was filed on June 13, 2013. In that lawsuit, the advisor accuses Bikram of rape and sexual assault of his employees as well as his students. She also claimed that the yogi promoted a work environment within the school that was filled with sexual harassment, racism, homophobia, misogyny and threats of violence.
In the lawsuit, Bikram is accused of making racist comments towards gay people as well as African American people. The legal advisor stated that after she was made aware of sexual harassment towards female students, she was advised not to look into it. When she pushed the issue, she stated that she was forced to resign in March 2013 by what she perceived to be physical threats. Her lawsuit further alleges that then the company illegally took back possession of the company-owned vehicle that she used as well as evicted her from the house that the company had provided for her. Bikram also allegedly threatened to personally challenge her green card application.
Civil rights lawyers might be able to assist people who feel that they have been the subjects of sexual harassment obtain compensation for their employer’s negligent actions. Lawyers might be able to help people prepare their claims and negotiate settlements for them.
Source: Huffington Post, “Bikram Yoga Founder Blasted For Alleged Rape, Sexual Harassment And Racism In Explosive Lawsuit“, Eleazar David Melendez, August 06, 2013