So this is something nobody really know or talks about, even though it's probably the worst organised sexual exploitation of boys anywhere in the world, dare I even say worse than the Catholic sex abuse scandal.

So what and who are the dancing boys? Well basically, the dancing boys practice or as it's known in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Baccha Bazi, is the horrible practice of using boys, some as young as 6, but mostly teenagers are sex slaves or child escorts and hookers, although both terms are virtually the same, for entertainment for older, adult men. The name Dancing Boys comes from the fact, that these boys are used as entertainment dancers during weddings or other such events.

Most victims are between the ages of 14-18, but as mentioned some can be as young as 6. Beardless, effeminate boys are sought after to simulate women as they are banned from dancing and being around men, due to Sharia law. In many cases, they are also owned by warlords, politicians and businessmen for "entertainment." In other cases, they are hired to be at weddings or parties. Large halls are used as venues for the parties or weddings, where the boys dance clad in women’s clothing with bells tied to their feet and a scarf wrapped around their face as they parade for hours. The parties are also an an opportunity for buying and selling the boys. Once the party concludes the boys are sold to the highest bidder and raped. In return they may be given small tokens of money and food.

This is perhaps, the most gut wrenching organised sexual abuse of boys one may have ever read about. There was a film made on it, called the Dancing Boys of Afghanistan by Najibullah Quraishi, an Afghan journalist. I also watched a documentary about it on YouTube.

https://youtu.be/NMp2wm0VMUs

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-11217772