Dancing Boys: Traditional Prostitution of Young Males in India. Situational Assessment Report on Adolescents and Young Boys Vulnerable to Forced Migration, Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation in India
- Document number
- 2303
- Date
- 2007
- Title
- Dancing Boys: Traditional Prostitution of Young Males in India. Situational Assessment Report on Adolescents and Young Boys Vulnerable to Forced Migration, Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation in India
- Author/publisher
- People Like Us (PLUS)
- Availability
- View/save PDF version of this document
- Document type(s)
- Research/Study/Analysis,
- Keywords
- Child Trafficking, Child Prostitution, Child Pornography, Best Interests Principle, Child Victims of Trafficking, Separated Migrant Children, Unaccompanied minors, Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), Child protection systems, Family reunification, Guardian, Family Tracing, Age Assessment, Freedom from Detention, Interim Care, Integration, Adoption,
- Summary
- In India adolescents and young gender variant boys, male with feminine demeanor that is effeminate males/ males with feminine gender construction are victims of social stigma and gross human rights violations, and as a result face serious barriers to joining mainstream occupations. This has led to a situation where, in the absence of any other alternative, many join the "hijra" (eunuch) community and undergo illegal, secret and crude castration operations at great risk to their lives. Anecdotal evidence puts the number of deaths due to castration at 50% of those operated upon by Dai, quacks and "surgeons" with questionable credentials. In alternative they join the troop as a Luanda dancer- the traditional dancing boys and migrate to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and in the name of dancing in the rituals forced into prostitution and face brutal violence. Their livelihood option as Hijra or as folk entertainers put them at grave risk of physical assaults and violence, sometimes leading to death, sexual harassment, sexual abuse and rape, other hate crimes and increasingly now, risk of HIV infection. In spite of traditionally accepted but marginal social space from ancient times and a visible presence during festivals, celebrations and public ceremonies, this boys have never been recognized as a vulnerable and at risk population with special needs with regard to basic rights of survival, development and protection as laid out in the United nations convention on the rights of the child (UNCRC).
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