The Secret World Of Afghanistan's Bacha Bazi: When Men Have Sex With Men

In Afghanistan, the practice of bacha bazi, or boy play, involves men buying and keeping adolescent boys for entertainment and sex. This custom, which is believed to be up to a thousand years old, is considered a grave human rights violation and has been outlawed. However, it continues to be widely practised, with powerful and well-armed warlords among those exploiting young boys. This has led to concerns about the sexual abuse and servitude of minors in the country.

The practice of bacha bazi or boy play

The practice of bacha bazi or "boy play" is a form of sexual slavery and child prostitution that has been prevalent in Afghanistan for hundreds of years. It involves powerful men buying and keeping adolescent boys, often from poor families, for entertainment and sexual gratification. These boys, known as "dancing boys", are forced to dress up as women, wear makeup, and dance seductively at private parties before being passed around among the men for sex. The practice was outlawed during the Taliban regime in the 1990s but resurfaced after the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. Despite efforts to eradicate it, bacha bazi continues to persist due to government corruption, complicity by law enforcement, and the influence of the perpetrators, who are often wealthy and well-connected.

The boys, typically aged between 9 and 18, are lured with gifts, money, or the promise of a better life. They are then forced into sexual relationships with their owners and older men, suffering physical and psychological abuse. The power imbalance and the stigma associated with bacha bazi make it difficult for the boys to escape or reintegrate into society later in life. Many of them turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with the trauma.

Bacha bazi has been linked to the oppression of women's rights and the rise of the Taliban, who publicly opposed the practice. The group's founder, Mullah Omar, is credited with rescuing a young boy who was about to be sodomized by two militia commanders. This act of saving boys from sexual abuse helped the Taliban gain support and differentiate themselves from those who participated in bacha bazi.

International condemnation of bacha bazi has grown in recent years, with human rights organizations and the United Nations calling for an end to the practice. In 2017, the Afghan government criminalized bacha bazi, but enforcement remains a challenge due to the influence of the perpetrators and the complex legal system in the country.

The boys are often called \chai boys\ or \dancing boys\

The term "chai boy" refers to young boys who are bought and kept by older men for entertainment and sexual purposes. The practice, known as "bacha bazi" or "boy play", is a form of sexual slavery and child prostitution. The boys, often adolescents, are forced to dress up and dance at private parties for wealthy or powerful men, who then select their favourite boy for sex. The boys are usually released when they reach the age of 19, but the psychological damage caused by years of sexual abuse and social isolation makes it difficult for them to reintegrate into society.

The practice of bacha bazi has been reported to be widespread in Afghanistan, with boys being taken from their families under the guise of providing them with work, education, or a better life. The boys are often made to dress as females and wear makeup, and they are expected to dance and engage in sexual acts with older men. While bacha bazi is illegal under Afghan law, the laws are rarely enforced against powerful offenders, and police have been complicit in related crimes.

"Dancing boys" is another term used to refer to the young boys who are exploited in the bacha bazi practice. They are often from impoverished families and serve as "entertainers" to influential Afghans. The boys are dressed as girls and made to wear makeup, bells tied to their feet, and a scarf over their faces. They dance for their masters, who then take them for sexual relationships. This is how these boys provide for their families.

The dancing boys are usually released when they reach adolescence and their beards start to grow, as their services are no longer desired. However, the psychological damage caused by the abuse and social isolation makes it difficult for them to reintegrate into society. Many former dancing boys struggle with social stigma and the psychological effects of their abuse.

The practice of bacha bazi has been reported to be widespread in Afghanistan, with powerful men targeting handsome boys from poor families. The boys are often kidnapped or taken from their families with the promise of work, education, or a better life. Their families are often unaware that they are being sexually exploited as sex slaves.

The dancing boys are usually dressed as females, made to wear makeup, and forced to dance at parties for powerful men. After the parties, the boys are passed around among the men for their sexual gratification. The power imbalance between the young boys and powerful men puts the boys in a very vulnerable position.

The men who recruit the boys are called \playboys\

The men who recruit adolescent boys for sexual exploitation in Afghanistan are called "playboys". They are usually rich and well-connected, which places them beyond the law. They often target poor boys who are desperate to make money or burdened with the responsibility of taking care of their families. The boys, called "bachas", are typically between the ages of 12 and 13 and remain in the business until they are 20. The playboys lure them with gifts and money, and the boys are made to dress up as women and dance at parties, after which the men select their favourite boy for sex.

The practice, called "bacha bazi" or "boy play", is a custom in Afghanistan and historical Turkestan. It involves men buying and keeping adolescent boys for entertainment and sex, and often includes sexual slavery and child prostitution. While it was outlawed during the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan period and under Taliban rule, it continued to be practised widely.

The boys are often kidnapped or taken from their families under the pretext of providing them with work, education, or a better life. Their families are usually unaware that they are being sexually exploited as sex slaves. The boys are passed around among powerful men for their sexual gratification and are released when they are around 19 years old or when their beards start to show. However, the psychological damage caused by years of sexual abuse and social isolation makes it difficult for them to reintegrate into society. Many struggle with the social stigma and turn to drugs or alcohol as coping mechanisms.

The practice of bacha bazi has been linked to the oppression of women's rights and human rights violations in Afghanistan. It reinforces traditional gender norms and the idea that ""women are for children, boys are for pleasure". It has also been identified as one of the key factors in the rise of the Taliban, who have publicly opposed and punished the practice.

The boys are usually between the ages of 12 and 13

The boys, known as "bachas", are usually between the ages of 12 and 13 when they are recruited. They are often from poor families and are either desperate to make money or burdened with the responsibility of taking care of their families. They are lured with gifts and money by the "playboys", who are rich and well-connected older men. The boys are dressed up as women and taught to dance like them at parties hosted by the rich, who then select their favourite boy for sex.

The boys are passed around among powerful men for their sexual gratification until they are released at around the age of 19 or when their beards start to show. The psychological damage caused by years of sexual abuse and social isolation makes it difficult for them to reintegrate into society. Many turn to drugs or alcohol as coping mechanisms. They also face social stigma and struggle to find decent work, as they are seen to have lost their masculinity.

The Taliban's stance on bacha bazi

Bacha bazi involves the sexual slavery and exploitation of adolescent boys by older men. The boys are often dressed as females, made to wear makeup, and forced to dance for groups of men before engaging in sexual acts. The practice is believed to have originated in the mountainous regions of northern Afghanistan as far back as the 9th or 10th century.

During the Taliban's rule in the 1990s, bacha bazi was banned and publicly punished. However, after the collapse of their regime in 2001, the practice once again became common in certain regions of Afghanistan. Despite the Taliban's stance on the issue, there have been reports of the practice persisting in areas under their control, with Taliban officials engaging in bacha bazi.

The resurgence of bacha bazi has been linked to the fall of the Taliban regime and the subsequent empowerment of former mujahideen commanders, who have brought with them a rekindled culture of the practice. The issue has been largely ignored by international partners, who prioritise maintaining local alliances to fight the Taliban.

The normalisation of bacha bazi has had detrimental effects on Afghanistan's development, particularly in terms of human rights and gender equality. The practice has also contributed to the cycle of abuse, with many of today's adolescent victims likely to become powerful warlords or government leaders with boy lovers of their own in the future.

Frequently asked questions