Victim Aftercare Neglected

This article posted on a human right’s website draws attention to the problem of the aftercare of victims in the Cambodian sex trade.

 After being rescued from a brothel in Cambodian’s Phnom Penh by Cambodian police, 14 young women were charged with illegal entry into Cambodia under the immigration law. Because they didn’t have the correct documentation when they entered Cambodia, they were treated like criminals instead of victims.  The article doesn’t mention the countries of origin of the victims, but it is common for women to be trafficked against their will across international borders. Some of the common places where victims are trafficked from are Vietnam and Thailand. I wonder if these particular victims were trafficked across international borders against their will? Either way, there is still an injustice being done by the Cambodian government.  

The women were in a helpless situation during their captivity in the brothel. Under the care of the Cambodian government, they are equally helpless.

 The article calls for the groups that donate money to the Cambodian government for the cause to end sex trafficking to put pressure on the government to change the system. Laws condemning illegal immigration should not be enforced against sex trade victims. Instead the women need physical, mental and emotional aftercare.

Link to the article: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2002/06/22/cambod4056.htm

~ by shainalent on February 25, 2008.