They are rich and well-connected, which places them beyond the law. The men who recruit these young boys are called ‘playboys’. I give them money, and they give me their bodies.” “Obviously, when I am with boys, I feel aroused, so it’s just a fair exchange. In Afghanistan, this is not viewed as homosexuality, even though there are strict laws prohibiting the act.Īmir, an older man acknowledged in the documentary that he is aroused by the sight of young men and admitted to having exploited them sexually. The documentary shows how under-aged boys are recruited and taught how to dance like women in parties organized by rich folks, who then later select their favorite boy for sex. Further coverage comes in a video documentary titled ‘They don’t just dance’ that is now available online through RTDoc – an English-language documentary channel created by Russia’s government-backed media company RT. The practice has been widely discussed - for example, in The New York Times, Newsweek and The Daily Mail. They do it under the guise of a disgusting old sexual traditional practice called “bacha bazi” (boy play). In Afghanistan, as part of an illegal but traditional practice, men recruit young boys, luring them with gifts and money with the intention of having sex with them.
