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

Migration (IOM) has recently supported research on human trafficking. This gap is primarily
due to the difficulties of conducting research in a conflict-affected country whose social
customs prohibit discussion of sexual topics, as well as donor agencies’ lack of resources to
support research on these issues.
2.2.2 Bangladesh
Bangladesh has one of the largest knowledge bases in the region on child sexual abuse and
sexual exploitation of boys. Several NGOs, including INCIDIN and Breaking the Silence,
have conducted good research. International agencies such as Save the Children, UNICEF
and ECPAT International have provided funding and assisted in focusing the research on
areas of greatest significance. Although much more remains to be done, Bangladesh now has
adequate statistical data on the sexual abuse of urban children and qualitative data on
exploitation of boys through prostitution in Dhaka. There remain gaps in research on the
sexual abuse of children residing in rural areas.
2.2.3 India
Considering the country’s size and resources, the knowledge base on child sexual abuse and
sexual exploitation of boys in India may be considered to be relatively weak. This is partly
due to a long-standing focus on the abuse, exploitation and trafficking of females to the
neglect of males; the capacities of NGOs in conducting research; the relative scarcity of
professional research organizations to conduct work on this topic; the vast size of the country;
and its widely varying situations of abuse and exploitation. The scope of India is so broad that
the conclusions of recent situation analyses of boys exploited through prostitution, conducted
with support from ECPAT International, cannot be generalized to the whole country.
2.2.4 Nepal
Although a small country, Nepal has recently developed a significant knowledge base on
child sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of boys through prostitution due to research efforts
by several NGOs, such as Child Workers in Nepal (CWIN), along with guidance and support
from the donor community. Until the past few years, almost all research focused on
trafficking of women and girls, and much of it was poorly designed and contained unreliable
data. Almost all research to date has focused on the Kathmandu Valley, and information on
child sexual abuse and exploitation in rural areas and other urban areas remains to be
collected.
2.2.5 Pakistan
Similar to Bangladesh, Pakistan has a good knowledge base on child sexual abuse and the
sexual exploitation of boys. Many NGOs and local researchers have strong research skills and
have been supported by the donor community. Organizations such as the Pakistan Paediatric
Association (PPA) and the Pakistan Voluntary Health and Nutrition Association have long
experience in the health and nutrition sector, and have applied the skills of those disciplines
to research on sexual abuse and exploitation. Other organizations, such as Rozan and Sahil,
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