Bacha Bazi- Pedophilic Boy Play

Bacha Bazi translating to “boy play” is an ancient practice dating back from Central Asian countries. This practice involves sexual relationship between older men and younger pubescent men. Also a practice where small boys are dressed up as girls and are forced to perform dance and then eventually sleep or sold to highest male bidder for entertainment.

Homosexuality is consensual, whereas pedophilic boy play is peculiar child abuse, which is also practiced by straight people with fondness. Many pedophiles justify their behavior with the misconception that the young boys they sexually abuse or rape, tempt them and are willing participants.

In Pakistan, thousands of powerless boys have become the victims of Bacha Bazi to the predators, who have no fear from the law. Happening at the main bus terminal in Peshawar; a lot of truck drivers have admitted to have sex with vulnerable boys and stated it as their favorite entertainment. When asked about the treatment these young boys get; they are asked for money and when these adolescent boys cannot provide them with money or even if they do they get raped and harassed constantly on roof tops or inside of the buses, after this heinous act these predators buy little boys soft drinks in order to repay for the scar they have given to them for lifetime.

A person cannot roam around freely with a woman. People give stares and which is why a person have to be cautious. But with a boy, one can roam around freely and no one will suspect. According to men a woman is a thing to keep at home, people will question your honor if she goes out the house. The ferocious patriarchal mindset that is pervasive in Peshawar, in which women are viewed as vessel of family’s honor to be safeguarded at home. Men’s assertions are predictably misogynistic, in which women are forced to a limited life inside the home since the risk of interacting with men from outside the family may compromise family honor.

This isolated environment creates extreme sexual frustration, leading to Bacha Bazi, which is then fulfilled by sexually abusing boys to relieve the extreme sexual frustration. The resultant separation of the sexes makes most women unapproachable till marriage.

Though Pakistan has many laws to protect children, but lack the work of law enforcement. Pakistan needs to make its laws more specific to what children are facing and to make its punishment to be severe for breaking the law. Promotion of non-violent and awareness raising should be done. Aside, more campaigning about child protection should be done before they enter the horrible world of abuse.

Lastly, education is the only thing that can be done by children themselves to break the cycle, for that we need proper government and external intervention. One can always contribute to the ongoing fight to secure the present and future of the street children by simply giving charity, funding programs to help them, sponsoring their education and speaking up about it to break the silence emerging over this issue in Pakistani society.

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Read our previous article:
License to Kill: Honor Killing Stil Prevails in Pakistan