SEXUAL ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION OF BOYS IN SOUTH ASIA A ...

oys in the home, community, institutions and workplaces. However, this review also found a
broadening of concern for all forms of child sexual abuse and exploitation and greater
understanding of the interrelation of various forms of violence against children. 11 With the
understanding that these terms overlap, they are with caution distinguished in this document.
An attempt has also been made to differentiate between the terms ‘trafficking’ and ‘sexual
exploitation’, which are often used interchangeably in legislation, policy, advocacy and
research documents. As will be discussed in the report, ‘sexual exploitation’ generally
includes prostitution and/or the use of persons in the production of sexual abuse images.
Sexual exploitation may or may not be a consequence of ‘trafficking’, particularly for boys.
Boys may enter situations of sexual exploitation from the street or labour situations that have
not involved trafficking according to international definitions – that is, they may not have
been moved by a trafficker prior to being recruited, or they may have made a conscious
decision to receive remuneration from an existing situation of sexual abuse from which they
cannot readily escape or they may have initiated action by themselves.
The sexual exploitation of children in pornography has not been clearly addressed in the
research, legislation or policy of South Asia in part because the term ‘pornography’ is not
well understood. There can be overlap between sexual abuse and exploitation in the
production of child abuse images and internet and communication technologies (ICTs). In
addition, legislation prohibiting the use of children in the production of child abuse images is
often lacking in the region.
The terms ‘sexual abuse’ and ‘sexual exploitation’ also may both apply to the use of the
Internet by abusers to coerce children into indecent exposure on videos captured by webcams,
some of which may be sold commercially. Another situation applies to the use of Internet chat
rooms to arrange meetings with children for sexual acts; some of these meetings may involve
the use of children in sexual activities for remuneration or other forms of consideration (thus
exploitation through prostitution), while some may involve non-remunerative sexual abuse. A
process of ‘grooming’ may have taken place prior to the meeting.
1.3 Boys as Victims of Sexual Abuse and Exploitation
While no child is exempt from the risk of sexual abuse and exploitation, some groups of
children are more vulnerable than others. These include children with physical and mental
disabilities, children from ethnic minorities and marginalized populations, children living and
working on the street, children in conflict with the law, child refugees, children separated
from their families, children in places of conflict and natural disasters, sexual minorities,
children living in slums and the children of sex workers. 12 Children who belong to several of
these groups are even more vulnerable. There is some evidence that sexual abuse of children
11
Save the Children Alliance, 2005, ‘10 essential learning points: Listen and speak out against sexual abuse of
girls’ and boys’.
12
Save the Children Alliance, 2005, ‘10 essential learning points: Listen and speak out against sexual abuse of
girls and boys’ (global submission to the UN Study on Violence against Children); United Nations General
Assembly (Pinheiro P.S.), 2006, ‘Report of the independent expert for the United Nations study on violence
against children’.
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