TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Women accuse famous Brazil spiritual 'healer' of sex abuse

Faria's reputation reaches far beyond Brazil, with followers in the United States, Europe and Australia.

  (Agence France-Presse)
Rio de Janeiro
Sun, December 9, 2018

Share This Article

Change Size

Women accuse famous Brazil spiritual 'healer' of sex abuse The associated O Globo newspaper later reported that it had spoken to two other women who gave similar accounts of sexual abuse by Faria, bringing the total to a dozen. (Shutterstock/File)

S

everal women have come forward in Brazil to accuse an internationally known self-proclaimed spiritual healer of sexually abusing them under pretext of trying to "cure" them of depression or other problems.

The allegations against Joao Teixeira de Faria, 76, better known as "Joao de Deus" ("Joao of God") were made late Friday on a program on the widely viewed Globo Television network.

A Dutch choreographer identified as Zahira Leeneke Maus and nine Brazilian women who remained anonymous accused Faria of making them masturbate him or perform fellatio, which he insisted was the only way to transfer his "cleansing" energy to them. 

Maus also told the program that Faria had raped her.

The associated O Globo newspaper later reported that it had spoken to two other women who gave similar accounts of sexual abuse by Faria, bringing the total to a dozen.

All the women said they were aged in their 30s when the alleged acts took place between 2010 and early this year in Faria's "spiritual hospital" in the town of Abadiania, close to the capital Brasilia.

A vehement denial

Globo's G1 news website cited a statement from Faria's press service saying he had used his powers to treat thousands of people over the past 44 years and "he vehemently rejects (allegations of) any improper practice during his treatments."

Faria's reputation reaches far beyond Brazil, with followers in the United States, Europe and Australia.

Oprah Winfrey, the US television celebrity and producer, visited Faria in 2013 to look into his "miracles."

Several media outlets have done critical investigations into Faria's claims of healing, and some uncovered previous allegations of sexual abuse and other improprieties for which Faria has never been prosecuted.

The fresh allegations aired by Globo come amid a global reckoning of alleged sexual misconduct by powerful men against women under the #MeToo campaign.

{

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.