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Public Forum: “Together We Prevent Boys from Trafficking and Sexual Abuse”  At Neak Banh Teuk park of Battambang city, a participatory theater began with a story of a 10 year-old boy, Veasna whose parents often fought and neglected him. His friends in the village often made fun of him. Veasna met with a nice man who saved him when he was attacked by his friends. The man raped Veasna and threatened him if he were to tell anyone. Veasna told his parent while crying that he was sexually abused by a man, but none of them believed him. The key message left by the theater at the end of the show called for more attention from the public, especially parents to protect both their daughters and sons. There’s no tolerance, by Cambodian law, for anyone who abuse children, both boys and girls.This theater show is one of the different forms of performances to generate a public forum with the theme, “Together We Prevent Boys from Trafficking and Sexual Abuse.” The event took place on Saturday 11th of September in Battambang Province. More than 600 people from various areas of Battambang joined this forum. Most of them were children who were invited from the World Vision’s drop-in center for children who live or work on the streets, orphanage centers and other shelters of local NGOs based in Battambang. Organized by World Vision Cambodia’s My Son Project (Project Against Boys’ Sexual Abuse) in a strong cooperation with Battambang Provincial Commanding Unit, the forum aims to raise awareness on the sexual abuse of boys. It also informed the participants at the forum to take appropriate intervention and support the boys from sexual abuse in emergency cases, and to call for support among communities in Battambang city to build safe living environment for children. In the opening of the forum, H.E Seang Suthorng, Battambang Deputy Governor stated, “Trafficking and Sexual abuse of boys is believed to be uncommon in Cambodia. It is hardly  understood by people and society. However, it is not a new case, it’s been happening for many years now. Most of the cases caused by homosexual group, drug and alcohol addicts, local pedophile and foreign tourists,” H.E Suthorng also called for support from all level of authority, relevant ministries, people in Battambang province, parents, guardians, local and international NGOs and the boys themselves to continue to raise awareness to their neighbors and friends to prevent children from trafficking and sexual abuse, and to provide physical and emotional support to victims.Violence against children, specifically sexual abuse, trafficking, and sexual exploitation of children is still prevalent in Cambodia. In the past year, there were 57 cases of sexual abuse of girls reported within the areas of operation of World Vision Cambodia. All of the cases that were reported to World Vision involved girls. However, it has been known that young boys and men had also been victims of sexual abuse. Eleven boys shared that they were victims of sexual abuse in 2009-2010 in World Vision operation areas. In an effort to promote children’s safety, World Vision Cambodia’s My Son project works with government and communities in Battambang and Phnom Penh to ensure that sexual abuse of boys are prevented. World Vision also serves the needs of those boys who are sexually abused through providing physical and emotional support. Mr. Jojo Pastores, Senior Programme Manager of World Vision’s Peace and Justice Programme expressed in his speech “When boys are abused, they also suffer emotionally and physically like the girls. They also feel shame and pity themselves. Many lose their self-confidence, become scared and lose hope in life. They also need our help to recover from the trauma and pain they experience.” Fourteen year-old boy, Nou Chin from SOS Children’s Villages of Cambodia shared while watching his friends joining questions and answer competition on the stage “I’m very surprised to hear boys are also abused sexually. It sounds scary. This forum is a great event to educate the public as well as the children like me to understand about the abuser’s strategy to lure the children, appropriate prevention that parents and guardians should take to protect their children from all form of abuse.” Thirteen year-old boy, Seiha Monirith, from World Vision’s drop-in center of Battambang also shared his understanding about this evening forum, “I’ve heard before that there is sexual abuse on boys. However, I wasn’t so clear until joining this forum. It is not ashamed to tell people that you were raped. You have to do it so that the authority is able to take intervention to arrest that pedophile. If I saw a suspicious case I will ask adult to call to the Battambang hotline 017 256 222,” Monirith said he will bring today lesson’s about the abuse on boys and girls to tell my siblings and friends at school. He also called to the public, especially the parents to pay more attention to their children, teach them about abuses’ stories and don’t let them be alone without supervision.” |
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