Source : Center for Social Development
By : Pongsathya Pholy
There are approximately 30,000 Cambodian Americans who called Lowell, Massachusetts their home. It is the third largest of Cambodians concentration outside of Cambodia and Long Beach, CA. Overall, there are approximately 200,000 Cambodians residing in the U.S. (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). It has been over 30 years since the Cambodian people went through one of the worse human tragedy under the Khmer Rouge Regime. Approximately, 2 million Cambodians and about a quarter of the Cambodian population were perished.
The process of healing and national reconciliation for the Cambodian people has been an unusually slow. There are a number of reasons that contribute to the challenges of getting the Cambodian people to get on their feet again. Presently, in the U.S., the lack of human resources continues to be a problem. The majority of Cambodians are still illiterate both in Khmer and in English. Comparatively to other ethnic minority groups in the U.S., Cambodian Americans still continue to struggle when it comes to socioeconomic and sociopolitical.
Many Cambodians are headed by single-parent household. A large number of Cambodian Americans are still dependence on government financial assistance. The rates of unemployment are high due to insufficient of needed skills and expertise. Many Cambodians are working at minimum wages ($5-$8/hr) depending on their location. There are alarming rates of domestic violence, gambling, school dropout, and youth delinquency. Many Cambodians are addicted to licit and illicit substances such as alcohol and/or opiate.
So what is the phenomenon behind all of these challenges and struggles among the Cambodian people oversea? As mentioned above, the process of healing from the physical and psychological trauma has been rather sluggish. According to many studies, approximately 50 percent of Cambodian Americans still manifested symptoms of psychological trauma such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depression, and conversion disorder. Thus, many Cambodians do not seek psychological services. And access to competence mental health providers and psychological services proved difficult. Furthermore, Cambodians do not comprehend the concept of psychological trauma nor seeking psychotherapy. And due to the culture of submission and concern of losing face for admitting their problems, prevent many Cambodians from seeking health and mental health services.
Additionally, many Cambodians are facing daily discrimination from the mainstream community.
Extracted from: Searching Bulletin of the Center for Social Development, Vol.13, # 134, November-December 2006, p16.
The process of healing and national reconciliation for the Cambodian people has been an unusually slow. There are a number of reasons that contribute to the challenges of getting the Cambodian people to get on their feet again. Presently, in the U.S., the lack of human resources continues to be a problem. The majority of Cambodians are still illiterate both in Khmer and in English. Comparatively to other ethnic minority groups in the U.S., Cambodian Americans still continue to struggle when it comes to socioeconomic and sociopolitical.
Many Cambodians are headed by single-parent household. A large number of Cambodian Americans are still dependence on government financial assistance. The rates of unemployment are high due to insufficient of needed skills and expertise. Many Cambodians are working at minimum wages ($5-$8/hr) depending on their location. There are alarming rates of domestic violence, gambling, school dropout, and youth delinquency. Many Cambodians are addicted to licit and illicit substances such as alcohol and/or opiate.
So what is the phenomenon behind all of these challenges and struggles among the Cambodian people oversea? As mentioned above, the process of healing from the physical and psychological trauma has been rather sluggish. According to many studies, approximately 50 percent of Cambodian Americans still manifested symptoms of psychological trauma such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depression, and conversion disorder. Thus, many Cambodians do not seek psychological services. And access to competence mental health providers and psychological services proved difficult. Furthermore, Cambodians do not comprehend the concept of psychological trauma nor seeking psychotherapy. And due to the culture of submission and concern of losing face for admitting their problems, prevent many Cambodians from seeking health and mental health services.
Additionally, many Cambodians are facing daily discrimination from the mainstream community.
Extracted from: Searching Bulletin of the Center for Social Development, Vol.13, # 134, November-December 2006, p16.
11 comments:
Psychological issue? Who are you
trying to fool? Many of Ah Khmer-
Americans don't even know what the
Khmer Rouge looks like. Stop deying
fact, that is they are nothing but
a greedy backstabers and losers who
destroyed Cambodia because they
think they can run it. But that
aint gonna happen ever again. Get
it?
it look like hun shit
4:04 AM sounded like he got his punk arse deported by the Americans...There is no other way to describe it. Got it? LMAO!
From my experience living and talking with native Cambodians, there seems to be an absence of any knowledge relating to psychological or mental health problems. These problems are usually treated the same way as physical ailments, usually with medication and rest, with the hope that the problem will go away. So it would make sense that the Cambodians living overseas would also have trouble dealing with traumas and psychological effects of being political refugees. Thus, in the US, will offering mental health services to people who don't fully understand the problems they face really help?
Furthermore, what is the basis for your claim, "Additionally, many Cambodians are facing daily discrimination from the mainstream community." ?
No wonder there are so many mental people in KI....
Hey 4:04am During KR regime I was there and I knew how brutal KR were. So shut the fuck up and stay where you are, comprendre?
This is so depressing!!!Cambodian people need to stop selling their misery to the world!!!
But then again this is Cambodian first generation in America and the first Cambodian generation will have to sacrifice so that the second or the third Cambodian generation can enjoy ...After the second and the third Cambodian generation can't break into the mainstream society then there must be something very wrong!!!
If any stupid Cambodian people fail to play the game of life then they must die out or face extinction by nature!!!! I am all for it!!!!ahahahahhahaha
9:31, I say "many of you" not "all
of you." Moreover, I was also
under the KR regime, just like
you, and it did not hindered from
accomplishing education, ..., or
independence. You guy are full of
shits.
Khmer people no matter where they live, are just a bunch of idiots. They love to criticize each other and that's all they can do. Wake up idiots!
Amen, brother!
So there are some bad apples in the States from the Khmer community! But dont u guys go labeling ALL khmer as idiot! What ethnic dont have problems..consider urself lucky for now that u dont have to go through what they went through or presenting going thru. I resent ur comments and if u're smart enough then u would take back what u said now!
Cheers and Khmer pride forever!
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