Boys are not sexually exploited? A challenge to practitioners

Abstract

This paper will argue that the view that ‘boys are not sexually exploited’ is unfortunately very common amongst many professionals working with vulnerable young men. It will look at some of the reasons for this and why it is essential for things to change in the future, in order to protect some of our most vulnerable young men under the age of 18 from further sexual abuse. This includes looking at why young men are not seen as at risk, the effect of wider societal attitudes to sex, the changing prostitution street scene, and the impact of the internet and mobile phones. Lastly, this paper looks at the effects of past sexual abuse on young men and the vulnerability of young men who are looked after. The paper draws on evidence collected from Barnardo’s Young Men’s Project (BYMP) which was originally established in 1989. Since its re-launch, in May 1999, it has been providing a free and confidential service aimed at preventing and reducing sexual exploitation of male children. BYMP is a London-wide service working specifically with boys and young men under 18 who are experiencing or who are vulnerable to sexual exploitation. Throughout the paper we will be using the term ‘sexual exploitation’ rather than abuse through prostitution, or child sexual abuse. This is to signify the importance of defining a spectrum of abusive relationships that can fall under the term sexual exploitation, rather than one single model of abuse (for more explanation on terminology and this definition, see Harper and Scott, 2005 and Scott and Skidmore, 2006).