The child sexual abuse problem in Afghanistan - specifically the increase in the rape of boys by powerful Afghan commanders - is regrettably and unfortunately a practice that can be traced far back to the country's Greek and Turkish heritage and is therefore a difficult practice to eradicate from the country. However, President Ashraf Ghani is determined to begin the necessary - yet tedious - social-cultural dialogue that will aid in the decrease in the number of boys abused in Afghanistan.
The majority of Afghans disagree with the sexual abuse of boys but since it is so widespread, disapproval alone cannot spark the necessary action needed to end it. This practice even has a name, due to its infamy: Bacha bazi, which literally means "boy play." Boys are ritually dressed up as girls and forced to dance before they are raped.
However, President Ghani is ready to place focus on his insistent intolerance of sexual abuse and he is very expressive about his condemnation of it. The other factor of this issue - besides the inability to penetrate cultural bubbles and traditions - is the fact that most of the pedophiles committing these crimes are commanders in Afghan security forces, militia forces, and powerful men who back the government. The prevalence of the rape of boys could cause tension between American and Afghan troops, as stated in an American military report back in 2011 - another factor to be concerned about, but a driving factor for President Ghani's pledge.
Although President Ghani's readiness to take on such a tremendous issue is noteworthy and admirable, the Afghan justice system's ability to confront such heinous criminality is questionable.
Upasna Barath
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/24/world/asia/ashraf-ghani-afghan-president-vows-to-crack-down-on-abuse-of-boys.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=second-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news
The majority of Afghans disagree with the sexual abuse of boys but since it is so widespread, disapproval alone cannot spark the necessary action needed to end it. This practice even has a name, due to its infamy: Bacha bazi, which literally means "boy play." Boys are ritually dressed up as girls and forced to dance before they are raped.
However, President Ghani is ready to place focus on his insistent intolerance of sexual abuse and he is very expressive about his condemnation of it. The other factor of this issue - besides the inability to penetrate cultural bubbles and traditions - is the fact that most of the pedophiles committing these crimes are commanders in Afghan security forces, militia forces, and powerful men who back the government. The prevalence of the rape of boys could cause tension between American and Afghan troops, as stated in an American military report back in 2011 - another factor to be concerned about, but a driving factor for President Ghani's pledge.
Although President Ghani's readiness to take on such a tremendous issue is noteworthy and admirable, the Afghan justice system's ability to confront such heinous criminality is questionable.
Upasna Barath
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/24/world/asia/ashraf-ghani-afghan-president-vows-to-crack-down-on-abuse-of-boys.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=second-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news
No comments:
Post a Comment