“In 1986,
when I was sold to a brothel as a prostitute, I was about sixteen
years old. Today there are many far younger
prostitutes in Cambodia.
There
are virgins for sale in every large town,
and to ensure their virginity, the girls
are sometimes as young as five or six.
In Cambodia,
and throughout Southeast Asia, tens of
thousands of minor
children are forced into prostitution
annually. They are raped and beaten,
often for
years. Many are killed.”
Born to a
tribal minority family in the Mondulkiri province of Cambodia,
Somaly Mam began life in extreme poverty. With no options as a severely
marginalized ethnic group, of Phnong hill tribe she lived in utter despair as
her family often resorted to desperate means to survive. The confluence of dire
circumstances led to the unspeakable horrors that would mark Somaly's childhood.
Somaly was sold into sexual slavery by a man who posed as her grandfather. The passing
of time and the unreliability of a wounded memory, Somaly still does not know
who this man was to her. The actions set her on an unimaginable path fraught
with danger, desperation, and ultimately triumph and thousand smiles.
Forced to work
in a brothel along with others mostlychildren, Somaly was brutally tortured and
raped on a daily basis. One night, she was made to watch as her best friend was
viciously murdered. Fearing she would meet that same fate, Somaly heroically
escaped her captors and set about building a new life for herself. She vowed
never to forget those left behind and has since dedicated her life to saving
victims and empowering survivors.
“What you have learned from experience is worth much more than gold. If
you have a house it may burn down. Any kind of possession can be lost,
but your experience is yours forever. Keep it and find a way to use it.”
In 1996, Somaly
established a Cambodian non-governmental organization called AFESIP (Agir Pour
les Femmes en Situation Precaire). Under fiercely courageous leadership of
Somaly, AFESIP employs a holistic approach that ensures victims not only escape
their plight, but have the emotional and economic strength to face the future
with hope. With the launch of the Somaly Mam Foundation in 2007, Somaly has
established a funding vehicle to support anti-trafficking organizations and to
provide victims and survivors with a platform from which their voices can be
heard around the world.
For her
tireless efforts, Somaly has justifiably has world-wide respect and is now a
renowned leader at the forefront of the anti-trafficking struggle. Universally
recognized as a visionary for her courage, dignity, ingenuity, and resilience,
Somaly was honored as one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of
2009 and was featured as a CNN Hero. She is also the recipient of the Prince of
Asturias Award for International Cooperation, The World's Children's Prize for
the Rights of the Child (WCPRC), Glamour Magazine's 2006 Woman of the Year
Award, and has won accolades from the US Department of Homeland Security.
But Somaly's
success has come at a price. She and her family have faced terrifying death
threats and violence. Asked why she continues to fight in the face of such
fierce and frightening opposition, Somaly resolutely responds, "I don't
want to go without leaving a trace."
“I strongly
believe that love is the answer and that it can mend even the deepest unseen
wounds. Love can heal, love can console, love can strengthen, and yes, love can
make change.”
Despite the
fact that she is known the world over and has certainly earned a life of luxury,
Somaly continues to work hard in the Cambodian recovery centres, living among
the women and children she rescues and staying by their side as they walk the
difficult path to recovery and freedom.
Envisioning a
world where Women and Children are safe from slavery you can find more
information at
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