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

have long experience working with abused children and women. This has given them access
to target communities in a social environment that discourages the discussion of sexual abuse
and exploitation.
2.2.6 Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka started investigating sexual abuse of children and sexual exploitation of boys in the
1980s, earlier than any other country in South Asia. Nevertheless, the current knowledge base
on child sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of boys is relatively weak. While research has
taken place, reliable quantitative data on sexual abuse of children are lacking. Most
qualitative research on the situation of boys has some limitations; it consists primarily of case
studies and descriptions of the environment for sexual exploitation in travel and tourism and
requires further analysis
However, despite some research limitations, academics have been analysing child sexual
abuse and exploitation in Sri Lanka for the past 15 years. The academic discourse on the
issues is the most sophisticated in the region, among other things exploring the linkages
between sexual abuse and exploitation and examining the effect of family dysfunction and
domestic abuse on children entering prostitution. This discourse has directly influenced
legislation, policy and programming, resulting in a focus on addressing problems in families
and communities that increase children’s vulnerability to abuse and exploitation.
2.3 Research Limitations
With few exceptions, a primary challenge in South Asia is the lack of linkage between
research and the development of legislation and policies. Governments have paid little
attention to research findings, and study recommendations generally are disregarded by
governments, donors and NGOs alike.
Similarly, stakeholders throughout the region have made little effort to identify key
knowledge needs and establish research priorities. Research is often planned with generalized
objectives such as ‘internal trafficking’ or ‘the situation of street children’, with inadequate
consideration of how to use research outputs in designing interventions. Key issues such as
linkages between sexual abuse and exploitation, the impact of family dysfunction and the
sexual abuse of boys in the work setting have not yet been adequately addressed.
The quality of research is a concern throughout the region. Few NGOs have research skills,
and the data in many documents entitled ‘research’ are not reliable. Little collaboration has
taken place between professional researchers and NGOs, and there has been little training of
NGO staff in research methodologies.
There are few provisions or procedures for quality assurance of research on sexual abuse,
particularly on trafficking in the region. Much research fails to employ basic professional
methods, and findings are typically not submitted for peer review. NGOs frequently use
quantitative methods on small samples of informants, producing unreliable ‘statistics’ that are
generalized to large populations. Samples tend not to be clearly identified, and a number of
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