(123rf) Some 37.3 percent of Korean boys who were victims of sex crimes did not tell anyone, a survey by a local civic group working against sexual exploitation of children showed recently.Tacteen Naeil, a South Korean member of the ECPAT International, revealed the survey results at a public discussion on gender equality in Seoul on Friday, according to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.In the survey of underage boys, including teens, 27 percent of victims said that they refrained from telling others because "it wasn't manly" and "looked weak" to seek help."It shows that (male victims) are forced to stay silent because of the prejudice over gender roles," said Jeong Hee-jin, a project director for the civic group. "One victim said when he told others of the sexual violence, they told them they envied them, or asked why he couldn't just enjoy it."Data from Seoul's support center for digital sexual crimes — such as unlawful filming and online distribution of sexual content — showed that the number of male victims had risen from 2,320 in 2023 to 2,618 last year, accounting for a quarter of all victims.Gender Equality Minister Won Min-kyong said the types of gender-related violence were becoming more diverse, and vowed to reach out to those in left in the blind spot of the government's protection.