Dancing boys of Afghanistan: 3 shocking story of sexual slavery Bacha bazi

Still in Afghanistan is considered prestigious to have in your home "boy dancing" and pleasures of a different kind. The law of sexual slavery, but who would dare to object to former field commander? Three real-life stories.

Bacha bazi (translated from Persian — "playing with boys") is a form of sexual slavery that involve the boys 9-10 years for the execution in front of customers dancing in women's clothing and other kinds of services. After reaching 16-18 years Bacha bazi free and they can lead a normal life.

The Bacha bazi is rampant in Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan. Many men keep Bacha bazi as an indicator of status and status. The practice of Bacha bazi is reflected in the novel "the kite Runner" author Khaled Hosseini. And will Everett, a journalist and social worker, spent several years in Afghanistan and met with dozens of Bacha bazi, described their fate in the book "We will live tomorrow." After the release of the book, the journalist told another story.

More than 20 men sat in a stuffy room, some were drinking, others were Smoking hashish, watching the street waiting for dancing boy. 16-year-old Khazar boy's name was Chinese for the pronounced Oriental features. He often played at festivals, weddings, was jealously guarded property of a wealthy Kabul businessman. And he promised to bring it tonight.

Suddenly, the phone rang: boy arrested while dancing at the wedding. Among the guests ran jokes about what the reception will be fragile Chinese in a Kabul prison. The evening threatened was thwarted, but a last-minute replacement is found. Around midnight, the owner pulled back the curtain, and dancer appeared in the doorway. It was not a boy and 40-year-old man! His face was unrecognizable under heavy makeup, blue dress decorated with sequins and bells.

For a moment all was silent, and then began to clap, the music began. Kamal was spinning in front of the audience, dancing to the beat of the song.

In 1992, the Taliban seized power in the country. The owner Kamal fled with his family to India, but the boy did not take. It ended up like this: holidays, dance lessons, well-being. With the advent of the radicals Bacha bazi went underground — under the laws of the Taliban they were threatened with the death penalty. Like many young men, Kamal saw that in front of emptiness. He has no skills, he only knows how to dance. Prostitution, the usual alternative for many Bacha bazi, Kamal did not like. It was a dark years.

With the fall of the Taliban in 2001, the practice of Bacha bazi has been revived. Under the new government, many former warlords have been able to return to their former positions, resuming the tradition as status and prestige.

To a 2014 study of Hagar International showed that one in every ten Afghan boy interviewed had experienced some form of trafficking, including the practice of Bacha bazi.

Sami Bacha bazi relate differently to the situation. Many humble themselves under the power of circumstances, some people try to please influential customers and thus to use their patronage in the future.

Sometimes the former owners are helping the boys as they grow up: find a job, give money. But most grown up young people lost his sex appeal in the eyes of customers, just kicked out on the street.

Kamal, who is now professionally dancing at festivals and weddings, communicates with many children who have been abused. Some of them only 9 or 10 years.

Such stories, like Kamal a lot. 19-year-old Javed was abducted by the former commander of the Jihad when he was 14 years old. Four years later, the owner replaced it with a new Bacha bazi, and the boy gave another strongman.

Jawed says he managed to escape from the shootout at the wedding where it took the new owner to entertain guests. Dancing young man has never left is the only skill which allows him to earn a living without education and without the help from the state as a former in slavery Bacha bazi.

Now he performs at festivals influential men, where the evening often ends with privacy with visitors. Even now, when jawed free, it is still difficult to get out of the framework of the "profession".

Other Bacha bazi, Gul, 15 years. After two escape attempts ended in a massacre, and captivity in a police station Gul managed to escape. However, his relatives did not wait, they left their home, fearing that it will come here to look for your Bacha bazi insulted the owner.

Both boys found the members of the Australian organization AFP. Family Gul also sought. Unlike many other victims, the boy was lucky she was willing to take him back.

In Afghan society, with its gender segregation have in the house of Bacha bazi is not considered homosexuality. In a country where they lack legal protections and social support, victims of violence may be lucky enough to escape from abusers, but not from the past. And despite the fact that the Minister of justice Abdul Basir Anwar during a press conference in Kabul reported the inclusion of this offence in the criminal code of the country, nothing has changed fundamentally.

Learn more about the practice of Bacha bazi in the documentary "Dancing boys of Afghanistan", filmed Afghan journalist Najibullah Quraishi.