Dear Editor

ONE of the largest barriers to combatting sexual violence against young boys is tied to low levels of reporting. In ChildLinK’s recent report examining the Social-Norm Drivers of Sexual Abuse of Boys in Guyana, it was found that several factors often coalesce to restrict reporting of sexual violence such as feelings of fear, shame, stigma, labelling and economic vulnerability.

A case that was reported to one of ChildLinK’s Child Advocacy Centres (CACs) also indicated the ways within which developmental issues and societal beliefs around sexuality are utilised to target and silence male survivors of sexual assault. John Doe, aged 17, has developmental issues that impact his learning abilities and memory. John was employed in construction and his boss would rape him after the other workers had left. The perpetrator also videotaped the incident and shared it with the other workers who would begin ridiculing John. John’s behaviour became extremely aggressive and erratic following the incident and it was only when his uncle sat him down and took time to listen that John shared what had happened. Due to his mental/cognitive development condition, however, all he remembers is the pain from the experience and not other details.

Children reporting sexual abuse is not a straightforward process as they rarely disclose it immediately after the event and clear evidence is rarely found. Given their developmental vulnerability, especially for those who might have cognitive issues, perpetrators can manipulate them into silence through shaming, fear and guilt strategies. Young boys interviewed for the report stated that fear of the perpetrator or the reaction of their parents deterred them from reporting incidents of abuse. One boy recalled feeling afraid that his parents would quarrel with him or beat him if he told them about his experience. Another stated that he was threatened with death if he did not comply with the perpetrator.

While Guyana has shown a consistent increase over the years (2013 -2020) in the reported cases of boys who were sexually abused, there was a notable slowdown in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing social-distancing protocols. Encouraging the trend of young boys reporting sexual violence means challenging a lot of victim-blaming strategies that are frequently employed against survivors. Doing this will signal to them that their experiences matter and that their perpetrators will be brought to justice.

Yours sincerely,

Akola Thompson

Blue Umbrella Consultant, ChildLinK
To report or seek counselling, please call 914/227-0979/227-2023/233-3500