South Africa: Sexual abuse of boys on rise

Link here. Excerpt:

'Little was said during Child Protection Week, which came to an end at the weekend, about the increase in the sexual abuse of boys.

"There is certainly less concern being publicly expressed. There is almost an assumption that boys are less harmed by sexual abuse," Childline manager Joan van Niekerk said.

"We come across some professionals who believe that boys cannot be sexually abused. We have increasing evidence that the sexual abuse of boys is as frequent as that of girls," she said.

University of KwaZulu-Natal education professor Deevia Bhana said that the abuse of boys was not sufficiently recognised or adequately dealt with compared to the sexual abuse of girls.

She said the under-reporting of the abuse of boys was attributable to silence, stigma and shame.
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"Gender roles and expectations for boys differ from those for girls. Boys at an early age are inducted into rituals of manhood that require acceptance of pain and suppression of emotions. This prevents easy disclosure of the abuse," Bhana said.'