Tues., 22 June - Adversity Inspires Change in Cambodia

Adversity Inspires Change in Cambodia: The Story of Somaly Mam

by Victoria Ugarte

There are times in ones life when one has the privilege to listen to a story about how adversity can inspire change, and no story is more humbling and awe inspiring than that of Somaly Mam's.

Like a shining star dropping down from the heavens, this beautiful, delicate and graceful Cambodian lady spoke to 250 of us at Sydney Town Hall last week, and in her gentle sing-song voice, told us a horriffic tale:

Somaly does not know when she was born, nor has she any memories of her parents. In fact, she does not even know what name her parents gave her at birth. Spending her early years in the rolling countryside of northeastern Cambodia, Somaly's parents left her to fend for herself in the mid-1970s, when the Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge terrorized Cambodia and drove thousands of people into the country side.

Orphaned at an early age, Somaly lived in the forest on her own until a man picked her up and promised to find her mother. Instead, she became his slave. Somaly was raped by the man until she was 13, when she was sold to a brothel and forced into prostitution. Somaly tried to escape but was caught and subsequently tortured. After witnessing her best friend's murder, a fearful Somaly successfully escaped.

Building a new life for herself, Somaly Mam vowed never to forget those she left behind. Since that time, she has relentlessly harnessed her adversity to inspire change in the world, by dedicating her life to saving victims of sexual slavery and empowering its survivors.

In 2009, Somaly Mam was voted one of the world's 100 most influencial people.

Before you click away from this story, allow me to confront you with some more disturbing statistics:

* 2-4 million women and children will be sold into prostitution in the next 12 months.

* Many children are sold into sexual slavery for as little as $10 and some are as young as 5 years of age. (Anderson Cooper 360)

* Human trafficking is the second largest organized crime in the world. It has become a bigger business than drug trafficking and generates more than US$9.5 Billion per year (US State Dept)

* Sex tourists come mainly from high income countries: Out of 160 foreign pedophiles arrested on child sex-abuse charges in SE Asia between 1992 and 1994, 25% were American, 18% were German, 14% were Australian, and 12% were English. (End Child Prostitution in Asian Tourism, Lambiet, 17 May, 1998)

Indeed, not only is sexual slavery a basic violation of human rights, it shames the Earth and it shames humanity.

Remember that all it takes for evil to flourish is for good men (and women) to do nothing.

As we sit in our warm homes and offices, let us spare a compassionate thought for those victims that continue to suffer this indignity. Even better, we all can be a part of that change by supportingSomaly Mam in her mission, to save women and children from sexual slavery, and that is by raising awareness.

We can help raise awareness by doing any of the following:

1) Purchase a pendant, scarf, bracelet or necklace, lovingly created by the survivors in Somaly's Cambodian shelters.

2) Purchase and read Somaly's book, The Road of Lost Innocence.

3) Make a donation to the Somaly Mam Foundation.

A heartfelt congratulations to Stephanie Lorenzo, an inspiring "Generation Y-er" that wanted to make a difference to the world herself and formed Project Futures, bringing Somaly Mam's plight and mission to Australia. Well done, Stephanie, you are quite an inspiration yourself.

I'd also like to thank those that responded to my newsletters, braving the rain and the cold, to listen to Somaly Mam speak at Sydney Town Hall last week, particularly Maryanne Apostolou, Natasha Borsky, and Dagmar MacLean.

Photo images: (Above) Victoria with Somaly Mam, and (Right) Victoria with Stephanie Lorenzo.

Comments

Name *
Email (For verification & Replies)
URL
Code   

Submit Comment