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

2.0 SOUTH ASIA OVERVIEW
2.1 Research Findings
Evidence-based information is lacking on the sexual abuse of both boys and girls and on the
sexual exploitation of boys. The majority of studies to date have emphasized trafficking for
sexual exploitation and have been focused on women and girls. Research on trafficking has
concentrated on recruitment, transportation and sale of victims; little research has been
conducted on the subsequent situations of exploitation into which children are trafficked.
While some qualitative research exists on the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of boys
(referenced in this paper), it is insufficient to provide the comprehensive picture needed to
develop legislation, policy and programming. Research on the sexual exploitation of boys has
been neglected in part due to the lack of conceptual distinction between sexual exploitation
and trafficking. As noted in this document, few boys in South Asia are directly trafficked 83
into sexual exploitation, and the physical or psychological coercion of boys into prostitution
has not received much attention. Consequently, little has been known about boys in
prostitution in South Asia until the past decade.
As has been noted, little research has been conducted worldwide on sexual violence against
men and boys, 84 and research on sexual abuse generally is neglected in South Asia. 85 The
reporting of sexual abuse is challenging, reporting mechanisms are few and governments
rarely have shown the motivation or ability to collect statistics on abuse in settings such as
homes, schools, prisons or refugee camps. Research is also constrained due to the hidden
nature of abuse and the attached stigma and shame, which prevent victims from sharing their
experiences.
Some countries of South Asia are beginning to fill the knowledge gap regarding both child
sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of boys. A number of organizations including End Child
Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT
International), the International Labour Organization (ILO) and UNICEF have supported
qualitative research on these issues in the past five years, and Save the Children has been
instrumental in providing overviews of children’s views on sexual abuse and in conducting
research on issues concerning men and boys.
2.2 Status of Information by Country
2.2.1 Afghanistan
Among the countries of South Asia, Afghanistan is most lacking in research on sexual abuse
of children and sexual exploitation of boys, although the International Organization for
83 Boys may be trafficked into other forms of exploitation, such as hazardous labour, and then end up in sexual
exploitation, rather than being directly trafficked into sexual exploitation.
84 World Health Organization (Krug, E.G. et al.), 2002, ‘World report on violence and health’.
85 Save the Children, 2004, ‘Child sexual abuse in South Asia: A discussion paper’. (Regional review submitted
to the UN Study on Violence against Children.)
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