SEXUAL ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION OF BOYS IN SOUTH ASIA A ...
SEXUAL ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION OF BOYS IN SOUTH ASIA A ... SEXUAL ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION OF BOYS IN SOUTH ASIA A ...
near the famous temple of Pashupatinath in Kathmandu. However, there is little evidence that Indian tourists have sought out children, either male or female. Western visitors have come to Nepal in relatively small numbers seeking children as well as young adult males. 269 Few Western visitors presently come to Nepal for adult female sex workers, although this appears to be growing. 270 Research indicates that sexual exploitation of children in tourism by Westerners is primarily directed at boys rather than girls. 271 Shortstay Western tourists, both male and female, seek sexual favours primarily from children of the street, restaurant workers and young ‘tour guides’. 272 However, research indicates that foreign exploiters are not the primary abusers, nor are the abusers predominantly male, contrary to popular belief. The 2008 study of abuse of children living on the street in Kathmandu found that approximately one-fifth of the abuse of boys was perpetrated by foreigners, of whom 40 per cent were female. 273 Some Western visitors have attempted more organized child sexual abuse, primarily of boys, by establishing ‘orphanages’ and ‘children’s homes’. Many of these Westerners are systematic abusers who have abused children in other countries and have come to Nepal due to the laxity of police surveillance. However, there are indications that sexual and physical abuse of children are prevalent in orphanages and children’s homes operated by nationals throughout the country. 274 Despite immense media focus, the abuse by Westerners in institutional settings is likely far less than abuse by local persons. Today, organized tourism for sexual exploitation appears to be a growing industry in Nepal, primarily for clients from India. In 2007, the Nepal Tourism Board advertised ‘Wild Stag Weekends’ on its website, promoting engagement with female entertainers as well as gambling and sightseeing (this advertisement has since been removed). The present number of tourists coming to Nepal for sexual exploitation is unknown. 6.1.5.3 Trafficking for sexual exploitation Until recently, Nepal’s primary trafficking concern was cross-border trafficking. Women and girls have been trafficked from Nepal to India since the 1950s or earlier, but the number of persons trafficked to India annually for sexual exploitation is unknown. Many girls and women are currently being trafficked from Nepal to the Middle East, often via India, on the pretense of legitimate employment. The number of those who end up in prostitution is unknown – some are directly trafficked into prostitution, and many others are placed in work 269 ECPAT International, 2003, ‘A situational analysis of child sex tourism in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka’. 270 For example, refer to the Internet site World Sex Guide, www.worldsexguide.com/guide/Asia/Nepal/index.htm. 271 Child Workers in Nepal and ECPAT International, 2003, ‘A situational analysis of child sex tourism in Nepal (Kathmandu Valley and Pokhara)’. 272 Ibid. 273 Child Protection Centers and Services and Voice of Children, 2008, ‘The abuse of street children in Kathmandu’. 274 Terre des hommes (Lausanne) and UNICEF, 2008, ‘Adopting the rights of the child: A study on intercountry adoption and its influence on child protection in Nepal’. 92
situations such as domestic labour in which they are sexually or physically abused; they enter prostitution after leaving employment. The circumstances and number of boys trafficked out of Nepal for sexual exploitation are even less known. Few boys appear to be directly trafficked into situations of sexual exploitation. A recent study on the cross-border trafficking of Nepalese boys, while listing sexual exploitation through prostitution as a possible outcome, provided no data regarding that outcome. 275 At the same time, informal evidence indicates that some boys are being trafficked from Nepal to Indian cities for labour in restaurants and tea stalls, with traffickers/purchasers having the additional intent to exploit these boys through prostitution arranged from those labour venues. 276 The armed conflict in Nepal has resulted in many thousands of boys and young men migrating to India, in part to flee recruitment or harassment by the opposing military forces. Today, thousands of young Nepalese males work in hotels, restaurants and other public venues in all the major Indian cities. This large migration of boys has likely resulted in sexual abuse and exploitation, though it remains to be formally verified. Today, the primary trafficking concern in Nepal is internal trafficking. The rapid growth of public sex access points and the brothels and short-time hotels that accompany them has stimulated a demand for many new girls and women for the sex industry. While some of these persons enter sex work knowingly and voluntarily, a large proportion are trafficked into the industry. Sometimes they are held in thrall through debt obligation from ‘advances’ to parents on promised ‘honest’ employment and provision of food, lodging and amenities to the child. 277 Research indicates that one-third of the females in dance bars, brothels and cabin restaurants are children 278 and that the age of children being trafficked locally has significantly decreased in the last several years. 279 For boys, trafficking is likely not the primary mechanism for direct entry into prostitution, whether inside or outside Nepal. It also appears that boys are seldom physically or psychologically coerced into entering prostitution within the country, with the exception of boys who are forced into it from a workplace or while residing in an orphanage or children’s home. Data on the scale of this sexual exploitation are lacking. 6.2 Legislation The Government of Nepal has ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child; the Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography; ILO Convention 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour; and the SAARC Convention on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution. It adopted 275 International Labour Organization and Women Rehabilitation Centre, 2002, ‘Cross border trafficking of boys’. 276 World Education International Nepal, 2008, personal communication. 277 World Education International Nepal, 2008, Personal communication. 278 Shakti Samuha, 2008, ‘A study on the condition of slavery among women and girls employed in the restaurants and massage parlours of Kathmandu Valley’. 279 World Education International Nepal, 2008, personal communication. 93
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near the famous temple of Pashupatinath in Kathmandu. However, there is little evidence that<br />
Indian tourists have sought out children, either male or female.<br />
Western visitors have come to Nepal in relatively small numbers seeking children as well as<br />
young adult males. 269 Few Western visitors presently come to Nepal for adult female sex<br />
workers, although this appears to be growing. 270 Research indicates that sexual exploitation<br />
of children in tourism by Westerners is primarily directed at boys rather than girls. 271 Shortstay<br />
Western tourists, both male and female, seek sexual favours primarily from children of<br />
the street, restaurant workers and young ‘tour guides’. 272 However, research indicates that<br />
foreign exploiters are not the primary abusers, nor are the abusers predominantly male,<br />
contrary to popular belief. The 2008 study of abuse of children living on the street in<br />
Kathmandu found that approximately one-fifth of the abuse of boys was perpetrated by<br />
foreigners, of whom 40 per cent were female. 273<br />
Some Western visitors have attempted more organized child sexual abuse, primarily of boys,<br />
by establishing ‘orphanages’ and ‘children’s homes’. Many of these Westerners are<br />
systematic abusers who have abused children in other countries and have come to Nepal due<br />
to the laxity of police surveillance. However, there are indications that sexual and physical<br />
abuse of children are prevalent in orphanages and children’s homes operated by nationals<br />
throughout the country. 274 Despite immense media focus, the abuse by Westerners in<br />
institutional settings is likely far less than abuse by local persons.<br />
Today, organized tourism for sexual exploitation appears to be a growing industry in Nepal,<br />
primarily for clients from India. In 2007, the Nepal Tourism Board advertised ‘Wild Stag<br />
Weekends’ on its website, promoting engagement with female entertainers as well as<br />
gambling and sightseeing (this advertisement has since been removed). The present number<br />
of tourists coming to Nepal for sexual exploitation is unknown.<br />
6.1.5.3 Trafficking for sexual exploitation<br />
Until recently, Nepal’s primary trafficking concern was cross-border trafficking. Women and<br />
girls have been trafficked from Nepal to India since the 1950s or earlier, but the number of<br />
persons trafficked to India annually for sexual exploitation is unknown. Many girls and<br />
women are currently being trafficked from Nepal to the Middle East, often via India, on the<br />
pretense of legitimate employment. The number of those who end up in prostitution is<br />
unknown – some are directly trafficked into prostitution, and many others are placed in work<br />
269<br />
ECPAT International, 2003, ‘A situational analysis of child sex tourism in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka’.<br />
270<br />
For example, refer to the Internet site World Sex Guide,<br />
www.worldsexguide.com/guide/Asia/Nepal/index.htm.<br />
271<br />
Child Workers in Nepal and ECPAT International, 2003, ‘A situational analysis of child sex tourism in Nepal<br />
(Kathmandu Valley and Pokhara)’.<br />
272 Ibid.<br />
273 Child Protection Centers and Services and Voice of Children, 2008, ‘The abuse of street children in<br />
Kathmandu’.<br />
274 Terre des hommes (Lausanne) and UNICEF, 2008, ‘Adopting the rights of the child: A study on intercountry<br />
adoption and its influence on child protection in Nepal’.<br />
92