Studies by human rights groups in Iraq have found that there are a growing number of child prostitutes among the nation’s many displaced persons. NIQASH went to Basra’s markets where the underage sex workers ply their unhappy trade.
Naji is a porter in the markets in the southern Iraqi city of Basra. His job involves loading his heavy iron trolley with shoppers’ goods, then pushing them from the marketplace to the nearest taxi stand. Naji is a heavy smoker, addicted to both nicotine and narcotics – habits picked up when he first started working as a porter here. Looking tired, he says that these days he also works as a male prostitute.
Naji is 15 years old; he’s been working here since he was 12.
"The people I have sex with are generous and kind though," Naji insists. "They are kind hearted and they love me. They bring me clothes and gifts and sometimes give me cigarettes. In return I give them my company and the joy of sex."
A 2008 study undertaken by the well known Iraqi human rights organization, Al Amal (Hope), found that 72 percent of children of displaced families residing in Nasiriya, near Basra, were engaged in work inappropriate to their age, often more than seven hours per day, such as street cleaning and portering. The study, which surveyed 411 families with a total of around 1,200 children, also found that a lot of the child labourers were selling drugs or their own bodies.
Basra human rights activist, Sami Toman, believes that things are not that different in Basra. "That’s despite the fact that Basra is the richest city in the country with regard to resources and oil," he added.
It is difficult to ascertain how widespread child prostitution is in Iraq – a lot of the children involved won’t talk about it because they have been threatened by those who use them. But observers believe child prostitution is particularly widespread among Iraq’s displaced families – that is, families who have been forced to flee to other areas due to sectarian or other violence in their hometowns. And there are an estimated one million displaced persons in the thriving southern province.
"Child abuse is a new phenomenon and it has emerged over the past three decades in Iraq, due to the abnormal circumstances here," Toman explained. "And these children cannot escape the conditions their families live in. They’re victims of this disintegrating society. They’re doomed to a miserable life."
Written by Saleem al-Wazzan
"The Iraqi manmade law penalties are not good, only Allah's law penalties are perfect. We know how to deal with these perverts based on the Quran and the hadith". Censored31 said.
