Police perpetrated male child sexual abuse in Bangladeshi street-connected boys

doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-4905792/v1

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Police perpetrated male child sexual abuse in Bangladeshi street-connected boys

https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4905792/v1

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The street-connected adolescents in Bangladesh are one of the most vulnerable demographics. Given the characteristics of their living environment, it is probable that they may experience various sorts of mistreatment, including physical and sexual assault, perhaps even at the hands of law enforcement. The objective of this research was to investigate the lived experiences of street-connected adolescents who have been subjected to sexual assault by policemen. A total of 11 boys participated in this qualitative research. The researchers used applied thematic analysis, a method that adheres to the principles of qualitative description, to identify significant themes after the interview. The study revealed four main themes: physical abuse, sexual abuse, repetitive abuse, and forceful oral and penetration sexual assault. Additionally, it has been shown that the police perpetrators used their position of power to engage in the sexual abuse of adolescents. To protect street-connected youth from sexual abuse by perpetrators, the government must implement appropriate measures. The police department should press charges against those engaged in this crime and provide specialized training for policemen who interact with street-connected young people.

Social Work

Bangladesh Police

street-connected boys

male child sexual abuse

repetitive abuse

Street-connected youngsters in Bangladesh are a susceptible demographic that resides and labors on the streets for a multitude of intricate reasons, including poverty, familial disintegration, or relocation (Greksa et al., 2007). These children often experience unstable housing, little parental support, and limited access to essential resources, making them vulnerable to exploitation and mistreatment. Their susceptibility arises from a combination of interrelated variables, such as economic instability, social marginalization, and insufficient support networks (Izutsu et al., 2006; Kerfoot et al., 2007).

From an economic standpoint, children who are homeless have significant challenges in fulfilling their fundamental requirements, including nourishment, housing, and clothing (Towe et al., 2009; Cumber and Tsoka-Gwegweni, 2016). In the absence of dependable sources of money or conventional work prospects, several individuals turn to begging, scavenging, or participating in informal labor as a means of sustenance. These individuals, who give false promises of help, take advantage of the economic instability of these vulnerable people, and abuse them via labor or sexual favors (Lalor, 1999; Smith and Ashiabi, 2007).

In addition, children who are homeless often face obstacles in obtaining an education, mostly because of financial limitations or family obligations (Smith and Ashiabi, 2007). Due to the lack of formal education, individuals are unable to access social and economic advancements, thereby continuing the cycle of poverty and marginalization (Panter-Brick, Todd and Baker, 1996; Panter-Brick, 2002). This educational deficit also renders children inadequately prepared to explore their rights and establish limits, thus increasing their susceptibility to exploitation and mistreatment (Kerfoot et al., 2007).

Moreover, children who are homeless have substantial obstacles when trying to get healthcare services, which makes them vulnerable to sickness, harm, and neglect (Izutsu et al., 2006; Kerfoot et al., 2007). In the absence of adequate medical care, individuals become more susceptible to exploitation and mistreatment since wrongdoers might use their physical weaknesses or deceive them with fraudulent offers of medical aid to exploit them (Greksa et al., 2007; Towe et al., 2009).

Street-connected children in Bangladesh endure widespread and severe mistreatment, including physical, sexual, and emotional exploitation. Numerous youngsters are subjected to exploitation by those who take advantage of their vulnerabilities and deceive them into participating in exploitative labor or sexual activities in return for basic requirements or false assurances of safety (Towe et al., 2009). The perpetrators might consist of elderly homeless persons, organized crime syndicates, or even those in positions of power who exploit the vulnerable situation and the absence of safeguards for youngsters (Panter-Brick, Todd and Baker, 1996; H. Reza, 2017; McClair et al., 2017).

Regrettably, law enforcement organizations in Bangladesh often display negligence, abuse, or open animosity towards street-connected youngsters (Greksa et al., 2007). Rather than offering safety and assistance, some police officers may see young children as bothersome or delinquents, resulting in their exposure to harassment, assault, or unjustified detention (Rahman and Samadder, 2015; M. H. Reza, 2017). This exacerbates the children's susceptibility since they are left without means for redress or safeguard against mistreatment (Rahman and Samadder, 2015).

A prevalent conduct shown by some law enforcement officials is the capricious apprehension and confinement of street-connected minors, often without proper legal procedure or valid justification. Instead of tackling the root causes that push children into the streets, these acts exacerbate their marginalization and trauma, perpetuating a cycle of criminalization and re-victimization (Aptekar, 1994; Bromfield, Reza and Sultana, 2023).

In addition, some law enforcement officials may participate in the exploitation and mistreatment of minors who are linked to the streets, using their power to obtain bribes, sexual acts, or coerced labor (Bromfield, Reza and Sultana, 2023). This exploitation may manifest in many ways, spanning from blackmail to sexual violence, which further erodes confidence in law enforcement and perpetuates cycles of trauma and victimization (Dabir, 2014; Aufseeser, 2017).

Children who are involved with the street can face opposition, apathy, or victim-blaming attitudes even when they try to get help or report abuse to the authorities. Their sense of helplessness and distrust may be further intensified if police personnel ignore or downplay their accusations, minimize their experiences, or even place blame on them for the abuse they have suffered (Aptekar, 1994; Aufseeser, 2017; Bromfield, Reza and Sultana, 2023).

Bangladesh Police (BP), once seen as a guardian of the law in the nation, has lately been depicted as a violator of the law and a perpetrator of human rights violations by several international human rights organizations (Daud, 2023). many reports, including those from human rights organizations like Human Rights Watch, Odhikar, Amnesty International, and South Asian Terrorism Portal, as well as news reports and articles published in both national and international reports, frequently reported on the extrajudicial killings and human rights violations committed by the BP (Talukder, 2022). According to the findings of academics, the Bangladeshi police force has been linked to a variety of illegal acts, ranging from extrajudicial executions to incidents of sexual assault. This highlights the extent and severity of their participation in such flagrant breaches (Aziz, 2015; Kamruzzaman et al., 2016; Uddin, 2018). A very recent about street-connected youths in Bangladesh found that despite the physical abuse, and illegal detention the BP personnel even engaged in sexual abuse of the children (Bromfield, Reza and Sultana, 2023).

There is a lot of research related to sexual abuse and the mental health of adolescents in Bangladesh in different settings (A. B. Siddik et al., 2023, 2024; M. A. B. Siddik et al., 2023; M. A. B. Siddik, Munmun, et al., 2024). Hence, as a social taboo, male child sexual abuse (MCSA) is not often disclosed anywhere (M. A. B. Siddik, Manjur, et al., 2024). However, regarding the status of Bangladesh Police, and the misconduct they push on the street-connected youngsters, we hardly found any research related to Police perpetrated sexual abuse of street-connected boys. This study aimed to fill this research gap. The main objective of this study was to cover up and explore the experience of sexual abuse by police personnel among street-connected boys. We also aimed to assess what types of sexual abuse they have experienced and if they seek any refuge from it.

Ethical approval

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Noakhali Science & Technology University, Bangladesh, provided logistic and ethical support for this investigation. This study is a component of a research project that focuses on the perception and occurrence of male child sexual abuse and criminality. All research participants provided an explicit agreement to participate in the present investigation. Those who did not agree were immediately eliminated.

Study design and participants

In Bangladesh, street-connected youths and adolescents often relocate owing to economic pursuits, precarious living conditions, lack of housing, vulnerability to abuse from others, and several other factors. Accessing and earning the confidence of the teens was a formidable obstacle. Hence, the study team contacted a local non-profit organization in Dhaka that operates many programs for street-connected youngsters, such as street volunteering, open-air classes, a children's home, and a shelter. This was done to address the challenges of limited access and trust concerns. Furthermore, the agency was actively involved in the authors' past initiatives and had a thorough understanding of the study methodology. Two methodologies were used to enlist people. Initially, the study targeted boys aged 10 to 16 who were connected to the streets and engaged in various programs provided by a community partner agency, such as open-air schools and health outreach programs. These boys were invited to take part in the study. Additionally, the agency's field workers informed different street-involved adolescents and organizations that work with such boys about the study. In addition, a snowball sampling method was used to discover and invite more individuals who were varied in terms of age and time of residence on the street. For security reasons, we refrain from disclosing the exact locations where data was collected for this research. Nevertheless, the locations were dispersed around the city. During the participant recruitment process, we also considered the difference in age and experience. We conducted interviews with a total of 11 street-connected boys who experienced sexual abuse by police.

Table 1: Description of participants and themes
Pseudonym	Age	Age at police perpetrated sexual abuse	Themes: physical abuse combined with sexual abuse (PACSA), repetitive abuse (RA), and oral sexual abuse (OSA), anal sexual abuse (ASA)
Amir	13	10	PACSA, RA, OSA, ASA
Pavel	13	11	PACSA, RA, OSA
Shojeeb	13	11	PACSA, RA, OSA
Robin	15	13	PACSA, RA, OSA, ASA
Raju	14	12	PACSA, RA, OSA
Asif	15	14	PACSA, RA, OSA
Limon	15	12	PACSA, RA, OSA, ASA
Komol	14	11	PACSA, RA, OSA
Sagor	13	11	PACSA, RA, OSA, ASA
Sujon	15	14	PACSA, RA, OSA, ASA
Sakib	11	9	PACSA, RA, OSA

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

The inclusion criteria this study followed were as follows: i) boys under the age of 16 years; ii) boys who had been living in the streets at least for one year; iii) street-connected boys attending open-air schools; iv) street-connected boys who had experienced sexual abuse by police; v) who provided consent to participate in this study. The exclusion criteria were as follows: i) boys more than 16 years old; ii) boys who had been living in the streets less than one year; iii) street-connected boys who had been abused by police but not sexually; iv) who didn’t agree to participate.

Data collection

Anonymous data collection was conducted without documenting the identities of the participants during October and November 2023 using a qualitative approach. A set of open-ended questions was used in the interview process. The open-ended questions were categorized into four primary themes about experiences of sexual abuse: physical abuse combined with sexual abuse, repetitive abuse, oral sexual abuse, and anal sexual abuse. As an example, we asked participants to recount a significant occurrence associated with these encounters. Subsequently, we posed supplementary inquiries to get more insight into their recollected events. An expert data collector conducted the semi-structured interview confidentially. The interview typically lasted about one hour, on average. The interviews were conducted with the boys' consent and recorded in audio format. Participants were remunerated $4.00 for their time.

Data analysis

The researchers used applied thematic analysis, which aligns with the principles of qualitative description (QD), to discover noteworthy themes. To achieve this objective, the researchers thoroughly examined each transcript and identified the specific sections of the discussion that were relevant to the study inquiries. Repeated topics in many instances were noticed. Subsequently, each of these subjects was categorized and given a specific code or label. Subsequently, the researchers sought to identify the connections between the codes and organized them into deeper themes or groups. After identifying all the main and subtheme texts, the data were evaluated to establish the correlation between the primary themes and data. The findings and outcomes were informed by the inclusion of pertinent translated comments from the participants.

Four major themes emerged from the qualitative data: physical abuse combined with sexual abuse, repetitive abuse, oral sexual abuse, and anal sexual abuse. Each of these topics is supported by evidence in the subsequent sections. Initially, it is important to acknowledge that street-connected young people in Dhaka engage with the police daily and frequently have personal knowledge of the police officers, even when they are not in uniform or on duty. Moreover, both the police and street-connected young people frequently occupy the same public areas, such as train stations or outdoor markets. Street-connected adolescents establish close-knit networks and exchange knowledge and information about police officers they see as either ‘good’ or ‘bad’ based on their contacts. Over time, children and teenagers acquire knowledge about which law enforcement officers to steer clear of. We have confidence in the accuracy of the teenagers' identification of genuine police officers in this research, distinguishing them from other adults who might have been dressed in uniforms or seemed official but were not real police officers.

Physical abuse combined with sexual abuse

A common narrative arose among the participants. "Police are dangerous," said one. They are absolutely terrible. Expanding on this topic, a 12-year-old boy shared his experience, expressing how the police constantly kept them on the move through physical abuse and intimidation. He mentioned that the police would target them without any justification, and their encounters would often begin with offensive language. According to reports, police perpetrated several horrific crimes against participants, including sexual abuse. Wherever young people with ties to the streets congregate in Dhaka, it has been reported that police personnel have been the initial sexual abusers of newcomers from the countryside. In addition to sexual abuse, most participants reported experiencing physical abuse. For instance, Shojeeb stated his experience,

When I was younger, I had a fear of the police, like many children do. One night, after arriving in the city from my village, I found myself alone and unsure of where to go. It was then that two police officers approached me and began asking me questions. I was filled with fear and struggled to respond. Unfortunately, one of the officers became angry and resorted to violence, physically assaulting me. Then the other one said, we won’t beat you if you suck our dick (pointing to their genitals) …I tried to refuse, but they forcefully did it.

Many people felt the police would ignore their reports of wrongdoing or abuse or would do nothing to help them through times of crisis, according to the survey takers. Police stations were often barred from participation due to guards' refusal to let them in. That is why, outside of the police station, the participants sought any chance to speak with an officer. According to the participants, if they saw a uniformed cop while out and about, they would attempt to tell the officer about their experience. However, the officers would often ignore the teenagers. While servicing a client, two other men forcibly removed Sagor's money, forcing him to rely on survival sex—which included solely oral sex. According to him, a client tricked him into having sex with two other guys. He attempted to report the men's sexual assault to the authorities, omitting any mention of his survival sex. He said,

I went to the police officer there (mentioning the nearest police checkpost).. there was only one policeman... I realized he was watching porn... I told him that two men were forcefully doing bad things to me... He asked, ‘Where?’. I replied about the place. Then he started laughing and said, you male whore…maybe they didn’t provide you money that’s why you came to me.. then he slapped me on my face.. and then pointing to his pant said, ‘Do the same with me. I will give you the money they didn’t give you.’ I had 400 takas in my pocket. He even kept it..

Repetitive abuse

Police repeatedly sexually assault street-connected boys, exposing vulnerability in the shadows of society. Already marginalized and without safety nets, these boys are victimized by those who are supposed to protect them. With each meeting, uniformed people entrusted to defend justice do horrible things, preying on these youngsters' innocence without consequence. As order keepers become chaos-makers, the streets become even more dangerous. Sujon stated,

I am also a boy. We share the same organs. But, still, he repeatedly abused me, even though I did not want him to do so. He did this again and over again. Because he was dressed in his police uniform, I was filled with a great deal of fear. It seemed as if he believed that since he was a police officer, he had the authority to do anything he pleased. It was quite painful, and I had the impression that I was confined in a terrifying location.

Beyond physical pain, these boys' persistent abuse and silence erode their self-esteem and confidence in authority. This pandemic of juvenile abuse requires law enforcement accountability and extensive support networks to elevate and safeguard vulnerable youngsters. Sakib shared,

The worst part was knowing he could do it again whenever he wanted. He'd show up in that police uniform, and I'd feel sick to my stomach. He'd make me do things I didn't want to do, like sucking his... private part. It felt like I was trapped like there was no way out. I wanted someone to save me, but I was too scared to ask for help.

Oral sexual abuse

Oral sexual assault is a kind of coercion that is experienced by every participant. They were forced to suck their private parts by members of the police department. When it comes to the experiences of street-connected boys who were victims of oral child sexual abuse (CSA) at the hands of law enforcement, the image that emerges is one of vulnerability and betrayal. For these young guys who are already negotiating the harsh realities of life on the streets, interactions with law enforcement should be always seen as a sign of safety and protection. They find themselves instead ensnared in a nightmare in which people who are entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining the law become the perpetrators of atrocities that are beyond comprehension. Some of the participants stated,

It was like a nightmare I couldn't wake up from. He'd make me do things that made me feel sick inside. I wish someone had listened when I tried to tell them. He forced me to do things with his... private part, and I felt so dirty and ashamed.

I thought if I just did what they wanted, it would stop. But it never did. I felt so powerless like there was nothing I could do to make it end. They forced me to do things with their... private part, and I couldn't say no.

He'd wear his uniform like it gave him the right to do whatever he wanted. But it wasn't right. It was like he was taking a piece of me every time he made me do those things. He forced me to do things with his... private part, and I didn't want to.

Street-connected boys are subjected to oral child sexual assault by police officers, which immerses them in a terrifying and degrading ordeal. These fragile youngsters are subjected to horrible atrocities, experiencing severe abuses of their bodies and souls. Their innocence is destroyed by those who are supposed to protect them. Despite the distressing experience, their voices resound with fortitude, advocating for fairness and the cessation of the recurring pattern of exploitation and betrayal.

Penetration sexual abuse

Most of the sexual abuse experienced by street-connected boys was oral sexual abuse. Because of the sexual culture in Bangladesh, perhaps the police personnel didn’t prefer anal sex. However, for three participants, we found that they had experienced repeated penetration while being sexually abused. For instance, Amir was describing, ‘I am kinda girlish. Look or talk like girls. That’s why whenever I was abused, they did it (anal penetration)’. Another participant Limon stated, ‘I think that police personnel was mentally sick. Maybe he doesn’t like women.’ When we asked about the full description of the incident, all of them stated they were being abused (anal penetration) at night. As for Amir’s experience,

They were two…. They came with someone I know, who was a Hijra…The Hijra then took me to them…at first I didn’t understand...but then I got it. I started telling them I am not a Hijra or a girl... I even showed them my dick… but they along with the Hijra were laughing… I felt helpless out of fear... then they took me to a hotel...then did it forcefully to me…out of fear I even forgot to cry. At first, they forced me to suck their penis... then they penetrated... it was bleeding... I tried to shout because of the pain but they put a piece of cloth inside my mouth… Later, they provide me with 500 takas (Bangladeshi currency)..Sometimes one officer and sometimes they together, did this several times with me… And every time they give me some money..

For Limon, the experience and situation were a bit different.

You know, in Ramna Park, at night sometimes after evening, there’re a lot of guys come who look for men. They are homosexuals. I was sexually abused in my hometown by a man, so I know this. Later, to make money for a living, I started sucking the penis of those men for money. Some give 200, some 300, and some give more. One night, I was doing the same in the dark, and a Police officer caught us.. but the man left so quickly, and the officer caught me.. I started begging to him so that he don’t through me in prison.. But the officer said, do the same to me.. you motherfucker, I will fuck you to death today.. I replied, sir, I only suck… then he forcefully did the anal penetration with me.. it was my first time..I was just a little boy.. the sexual abuse in my childhood, and by the police felt the same…felt like death…

Regarding the disclosure of the sexual abuse by the police, the respondents said that they never mentioned it to the open-air school that they attend; however, their friends, who were also teenagers who were linked to the street, were aware of it.

Street-connected youths are often mistreated by law enforcement authority (Bromfield, Reza and Sultana, 2023). Police involvement usually has numerous outcomes: (1) removal of the street child from work, preventing them from earning a living; (2) humiliation/anguish/torture of the child via verbal, physical, or sexual abuse; (3) financial abuse or extortion; and, most alarmingly, (4) summary executions/extrajudicial killings (Celik and Baybuga, 2009). Occasionally, law enforcement compels street children to provide a portion of their earnings in exchange for permission to access public areas (M. H. Reza, 2017). We found that the street-connected boys were even sexually abused by the police personnel. The forms of abuse were very frequent, forceful oral sex, physical abuse sexual abuse, and penetration sexual abuse.

Street-connected children are always at a higher risk of being sexually abused than the other children of society due to the unsafe environment they belong in and the nature of their surroundings (Ayaya et al., 2023). Our study found, even the street-connected boys, in the conservative cultural setting of Bangladesh, had experienced sexual abuse.

The police, very often in developing countries use their authoritarian power to engage in unlawful business. For example, while conducting sexual misconduct by police, it had been reported that they always showed their institutional power to the victim to gain sexual advantages (Buchhandler-Raphael, 2010; Sanders, 2015). The respondents in the current study described, the police perpetrators used their power to abuse the street-connected boys and threatened them to through into prison if they didn’t follow their (police) order and tell it to anyone.

It has been shown that sexual offenders engage in repeated acts of sexual abuse, and one of the characteristics that are common among sexual offenders is the purposeful choosing of vulnerable victims (Stephens et al., 2017). The police perpetrators in our study who sexually abused the street-connected boys were abused in a repetitive pattern. Due to the police's authoritative position and the vulnerability of the street-connected adolescents, they were able to easily manipulate the victim into participating in multiple instances of sexual assault (Stinson et al., 2015; Stinson, Taylor and Liederbach, 2020).

Our investigation suggests that certain police officers, especially those assigned to safeguard public areas like train stations and ferry platforms have allegedly perpetrated the abhorrent act of sexually assaulting homeless young individuals. A noteworthy finding was that several boys were subjected to instances of rape and sexual assault by the police shortly after they arrived in Dhaka from rural areas. A significant number of persons reported being subjected to maltreatment upon their arrival. The police are likely to focus on young folks who are new to the area and may not be familiar with the potential dangers of the streets. Regrettably, it is accurate to assert that some police officers commit crimes that extend beyond the sexual assault of vulnerable teenagers, as indicated by respondents, and supported by a recent study conducted in Bangladesh on the mistreatment of street-connected adolescents by the police (Bromfield, Reza and Sultana, 2023).

One of the major duties of BP is to make people, especially who are vulnerable. But, our findings stated that the street-connected boys were sexually abused by them.

One of the limitations of the current study is its sample size. Due to the nature of the street-connected adolescents, it is quite impossible to gather them and have a deep understanding of their experiences. Additionally, we could not manage to have focus group discussions (FGDs) to compare each respondent's experiences as well as we didn’t interview the key informants (KI). However, the future research could focus on FGDs and KIs to build-up a greater aspect of the topic. Despite the limitations, this study is the very first study in Bangladesh about the male child sexual abuse by police. We hope that this study will help the policymakers and the stakeholders as well as the conscious citizens of the society to create awareness and policies.

Using a qualitative approach, we identified the sexual abuse of street-connected boys by police personnel. The results are quite shocking while the primary duty of Bangladesh Police is to keep everyone safe, especially the youth. We found that the street-connected boys had been repetitively abused by the police perpetrators. The police perpetrators often used their power to abuse the victims by force. Physical abuse along with sexual abuse was a common phenomenon. In some cases, the perpetrators forcefully did penetration and it caused physical injuries (e.g., bleeding). To safeguard the street-connected boys from being sexually abused by any perpetrators, the government of Bangladesh should make an inclusive plan. The police department should make criminal charges against the police who are engaged with them. The department should arrange exclusive training sessions for the police personnel who work with street-connected youths.

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Table 1

Description of participants and themes
Pseudonym	Age	Age at police perpetrated sexual abuse	Themes: physical abuse combined with sexual abuse (PACSA), repetitive abuse (RA), and oral sexual abuse (OSA), anal sexual abuse (ASA)
Amir	13	10	PACSA, RA, OSA, ASA
Pavel	13	11	PACSA, RA, OSA
Shojeeb	13	11	PACSA, RA, OSA
Robin	15	13	PACSA, RA, OSA, ASA
Raju	14	12	PACSA, RA, OSA
Asif	15	14	PACSA, RA, OSA
Limon	15	12	PACSA, RA, OSA, ASA
Komol	14	11	PACSA, RA, OSA
Sagor	13	11	PACSA, RA, OSA, ASA
Sujon	15	14	PACSA, RA, OSA, ASA
Sakib	11	9	PACSA, RA, OSA

The authors declare no competing interests.

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Police perpetrated male child sexual abuse in Bangladeshi street-connected boys

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