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Whereas ISKCON does not have established formal Policies and Procedures to maintain ecclesiastical leadership standards within our Society regarding Sexual Misconduct of Leaders nor does ISKCON have methodologies to respond appropriately when a leader demonstrates Sexual Misconduct;

Whereas many large and global religious organizations have deemed it proper to establish such systems;

Whereas having such Policies and Procedures in place has many specific advantages including:

• Leaders are trained and aware that Sexual Misconduct will not be tolerated or ignored.

• An injured party will have access to an official process to report Sexual Misconduct and will have confidence that there will be an impartial and non-judgmental response to their complaint.

• If an accused leader is found to be blameless there will be opportunity to re-establish the leader in good grace rather than continue to be subject to rumors. There will be an official procedure to protect the reputation of leaders falsely accused of Misconduct.

• Local GBC and Zonal Supervisors will not shoulder the burden of dealing with these difficult issues on their own and will have the weight of Policy and Procedure and the support of the ISKCON International Office for the Prevention of Leader Misconduct to assist them.

• ISKCON Leadership is held to a high standard of ecclesiastical, ethical and moral level of behavior which is organizationally supported by Policy.

• Having Policies and Procedures in place creates a safer environment for everyone.

• Lawsuits and other actions against ISKCON leaders and temples may be deferred or prevented if ISKCON responds in a responsible and appropriate manner to complaints.

• Pastoral sexual misconduct is now a criminal offense in many countries and this trend is growing. Religious organizations are responding with Policies and procedures to prevent and manage such cases. ISKCON needs to be proactive.

Whereas ISKCON North America developed Policies and Procedures several years ago including a process for investigating complaints, assisting those who have been injured, protecting the reputation of leaders falsely accused of Misconduct and restricting the services of those who have offended;

Whereas the above-mentioned system has been successful in increasing awareness, in raising the standards of leadership conduct and in establishing a process where reports of Misconduct are investigated by devotees with professional training (social workers, lawyers, psychologists, teachers ) outside of the affected community with objectivity, equality, compassion and professionalism;

Whereas GBC and other leaders from zones outside of North America have been requesting assistance to deal with reports or to establish Policies and Procedures in their zones;

Whereas Leader Sexual Misconduct has become recognized as a seriously damaging phenomena in religious and other organizations;

Resolved:

1. The ISKCON International Office for the Prevention of Leader Misconduct (PLM Office) be established as a permanent ISKCON organizational entity subject to review by the GBC Body (as with other Offices and Ministries). The PLM Office Director will be responsible to the GBC EC through the ISKCON Executive Secretariat.

2. The immediate goals of The PLM Office will be to draft a document of ISKCON International Policies and Procedures for a) preventing Leader Sexual Misconduct b) responding to complaints and c) conducting investigations.

3. The PLM Office will collect and provide educational resources, assist Zones in establishing investigative teams to respond to and manage complaints, and research successful programs for education, support and recovery.

4. The Policies and Procedures document shall be developed for review by the GBC at the 2018 Midterm General Meeting. The Deputies will be requested to review this document before it is submitted. At the 2019 Annual General Meeting, a final version of the Policies and Procedures document will be submitted for approval by the full GBC Body.