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Places of worship should ideally be considered a safe space for anyone to go when they are feeling sad, lost, or just in need of spiritual guidance during tough times.

Unfortunately for one woman, a temple she visited only brought her more misery and trauma.

Actor, TV host, and former Miss Grand Malaysia Lishalliny Kanaran shared on insstagram about an ordeal she faced recently at a local temple.

Her story tells a cautionary tale about places of worship and “men of the cloth” who may appear like they are trying to help, but have ulterior motives.

Lishalliny found religion and started visiting a temple

According to her post, Lishalliny was never really a religious person until recently. She began visiting a temple and began learning about her religion bit by bit.

On 21 June, she visited the temple alone as her mother was in India at the time. She then mentioned a priest who would guide her through the rituals.

“I don’t know much and I’ve always appreciated his help,” Lishalliny wrote.

On the same day, while she was praying, the priest approached her to offer some holy water and protective string as a blessing. He then asked her to see him after her prayers.

She went to see the priest but said something “didn’t feel right”

After her prayers, Lishalliny said she went to see the priest just like he asked. After she waited for about half an hour while the priest was doing individual blessings on others, he asked her to follow him to an office.

“Inside the office, he asked me to sit while he stood. He poured something, a very strong-smelling liquid, like rose or flower essence into the holy water.

“He said it was from India, and that they usually don’t give it to ‘ordinary people’. He kept splashing that water on my face, so much that my eyes stung and I couldn’t even open them,” she said.

Lishalliny then claimed that the priest asked her to lift her Punjabi suit, which she refused to and gave the reason that her blouse underneath was tight.

The priest then continued his ritual standing behind Lishalliny, and that’s when he allegedly put his hands into her blouse, under her bra, and began touching her inappropriately.

“My brain knew everything about that moment was wrong and yet I couldn’t move. I couldn’t speak. I froze. And I still don’t understand why,” she said, expressing her disappointment towards the temple where she sought peace, only to find betrayal.

The trauma haunts her every waking (and sleeping) hour

Since the incident, Lishalliny said she has felt “disgusted” and “broken” from the trauma.

“I can’t sleep because every time I close my eyes, it replays in my head. I didn’t know who to tell. I was ashamed. And I’ve always seen myself as one of the strongest and bravest people I know so I kept beating myself up,” Lishalliny said.

After her mother returned from India on 4 July, the two of them and two of Lishalliny’s’ brothers went to the temple to confront the priest, but its management told them that he was nowhere to be found.

She spoke up to raise awareness and encourage other women to speak up as well

Lishalliny felt that the temple made no effort to help her case and thought that they only cared about their name and reputation.

“I’m not writing this to victimise myself. I’m writing this to voice out so that anyone else who has gone through something like this knows; you are not to blame. You did nothing wrong. And if you ever need someone, I’m here. You are not alone.

“I’ve always been someone who speaks her heart and mind. But this time, I kept quiet. Because I was broken. Because I felt ashamed. But if I kept quiet, who else will speak up?” she said.

Malaysians shared words of support in light of her experience

Many poured words of support in the comments section, while praising her for being brave to speak up about such a traumatising and degrading incident.

Some also shared their own similar experience at the very same temple, while others expressed their disgust towards such an incident to have happened at a house of worship.

Police are now on a manhunt for the priest, who was not even the resident priest of that temple

Sepang district police chief Assistant Commissioner Norhizam Bahaman said the offence was allegedly committed at a Hindu temple in Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi, Malay Mail reported.

“The suspect is an Indian national who was temporarily filling the position because the temple’s resident priest is currently abroad.

“The suspect’s modus operandi was allegedly to sprinkle holy water on the victim’s face and body before proceeding to molest her,” Norhizam said in a statement.

According to Section 354 of the Penal Code, the case is being investigated for outrage of modesty, which carries a maximum 10-year prison sentence, a fine, whipping, or any combination of these penalties upon conviction.

Police have asked anyone with information about the suspect to call the Sepang police headquarters at 03-8777 4222 or the investigating officer, Inspector Sathiyan Balrajoo, at 013-206 0771.