Journey to Peace Village

One of the serious social problems in Cambodia is human trafficking and especially child prostitution. This is especially a problem in Phnom Penh and Sianhoukville. The hotel we stayed in is part of "child safe" a program by local businesses to try to curb this problem. Child safe businesses train their employees to be aware of the signs that a child may be in trouble or be involved in a prostitution ring. There are also programs in Sianoukville for at risk kids and for those who have been victims of abuse. In Phnom Penh there was dramatic police raid in which they shut down a "sex village"in which hundreds of children were held prisoner.

But the problem is huge. Thailand has been kicking out many undesirables Westerners and many head for Cambodia. As the police in Thailand have tried to crack down on human trafficking, many operations have gone across the border to Cambodia. These sex slavery rings not only operate in Cambodia, but also ship girls to other parts of Asia. In fact, many of the girls (and sometimes boys) who are involved in child prostitution come from Viet Nam or China. This is certainly one of the saddest aspects of life in Cambodia and a symptom of the enormous poverty in this country.

To find out more please check these links:

http://childsafe-international.org/CAMBODIA/CSCambodia.asp

http://www.uri.edu/artsci/wms/hughes/cambodia.htm

http://www.gvnet.com/childprostitution/Cambodia.htm

Labels: Cambodia, child abuse, culture and society, legal system, prostitution