Leading notions on gender continue to emphasize girls and women as the dominant vulnerable group in society, but this has masked how we understand gender-based vulnerabilities amongst boys. This is because society already prescribes explicit socio-cultural norms of what it means to be male – bold, assertive, dominant, reserved, and emotionless without showing any form of vulnerability. Emerging evidence suggests that boys experience vulnerability in some ways including verbal abuse, child molestation, and other forms of physical abuse.
Creating safe spaces is useful in addressing boys’ specific vulnerabilities, having the potential to benefit both girls and boys. Whilst the girl child has been vulnerable over the years, the boy child has been secluded such that they have become equally vulnerable, if not more. Mike Yanou Foundation is out to address this situation in our local communities. Join us in taking care of the boy child’s issues.
