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

living on the street or on boys sexually exploited through prostitution have collected data on
the prior sexual abuse of these children in the home, community or school.
Despite the lack of studies, there are indications that sexual abuse of boys in the home and
community in India is less prevalent than sexual abuse of girls. 215 Sexual abuse of boys in
school settings, particularly in residential schools, by teachers, school attendants and peers,
has also been noted. 216
However, a relatively high level of sexual abuse of boys can be assumed due to the large
proportion of boys living in extremely vulnerable situations. India has a high number of
ethnic minorities and dalits, or scheduled castes. The sexual abuse and exploitation of dalit
girls and women are well documented, and they provide a large proportion of those trafficked
for sexual purposes. 217 While dalit boys may not be trafficked for sexual exploitation in great
numbers, their social disempowerment coupled with their presence in low-level labour
situations make them vulnerable to sexual abuse.
Aligned with India’s caste system is the high prevalence of bonded labour. India has the
largest number of children in bonded labour in the world, as high as 15 million children, and
the majority are from dalit communities. 218 While there are inadequate data on the sexual
abuse of boys in bonded labour in India, global data suggest a link between bonded labour
and sexual as well as physical abuse. 219
Another group of boys especially vulnerable to sexual abuse are those who dwell in urban
slums. Due to vast rural-to-urban migration, numbering tens of millions of people in the last
20 years, slums cover large areas of major cities such as Mumbai and Kolkata. It can be
presumed that a large number of boys are at risk in urban slum settings.
Migrating children and those living on the street are apparent throughout the country.
Estimates of their number vary widely, in part due to lack of consensus on what constitutes a
‘child of the street’, and in part due to the difficulty in counting a mobile and elusive
population. For example, estimates of children living on the street in Mumbai range from
35,000 to 400,000, and in Delhi from 150,000 to 400,000. 220 The data indicate that up to 40
per cent of children living on the street have experienced domestic violence, and 25 per cent
have suffered physical abuse in the home. 221 Data on the prevalence of sexual abuse of
children living on the street are lacking.
Sexual abuse in India also occurs among males who have sex with males. In South Asia,
sexual engagement between males does not necessarily indicate a permanent sexual
215 Haq Centre for Child Rights, 2005, ‘Status of children in India Inc’.
216 Virani, P., 2000, ‘Bitter chocolate: Child sexual abuse in India’.
217 Initiative for Social Change and Action, 2003, ‘Rescued trafficked children from commercial sexual
exploitation: Case study of Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata in India’.
218 Human Rights Watch, 2003, ‘Small change: Bonded labour in India’s silk industry’.
219 International Labour Organization, 2006, ‘Violence against children in places of work’.
220 Gvnet website (accessed 12 September 2008).
221 Groupe Developpement, 2006, ‘Survival strategies: A study of children living on streets and railway
platforms of West Bengal and Bangladesh’.
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