Cambodian sex workers hold lotus flowers together with incense sticks and pray in front of a Buddhist temple in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Monday, June 16, 2008. Cambodian sex workers gathered at the Buddhist temple Monday in the latest protest against a police crackdown on prostitution. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
Cambodian sex workers hold lotus flowers together with incense sticks and pray in front of a Buddhist temple in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Monday, June 16, 2008. Cambodian sex workers gathered at the Buddhist temple Monday in the latest protest against a police crackdown on prostitution. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)The Associated Press
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia: Cambodian sex workers gathered at a Buddhist temple Monday in the latest protest against a police crackdown on prostitution.
Dressed in white, about two dozen sex workers kneeled inside a Phnom Penh pagoda and prayed for the government to halt a crackdown that started in March after a new anti-trafficking law was introduced.
"Please Lord Buddha help make our leaders listen when we say that the new law does not protect us," said Su Sotheavy, 68. "Our families depend on our profession."
Police began rounding up male and female sex workers from brothels, bars and parks in March. The law does not specifically target sex workers but activists say it prompted authorities to take a tougher stand against prostitution.
Earlier this month, some 200 Cambodian sex workers protested against the crackdown and alleged that some of them had been physically and sexually abused in custody.
Cambodian law does not explicitly define prostitution as illegal, but commercial sex is frowned upon by authorities who routinely launch sweeps to clean up the streets.
Some sex workers at the protest said they were married with children and their families relied on their job.
Dressed in white, about two dozen sex workers kneeled inside a Phnom Penh pagoda and prayed for the government to halt a crackdown that started in March after a new anti-trafficking law was introduced.
"Please Lord Buddha help make our leaders listen when we say that the new law does not protect us," said Su Sotheavy, 68. "Our families depend on our profession."
Police began rounding up male and female sex workers from brothels, bars and parks in March. The law does not specifically target sex workers but activists say it prompted authorities to take a tougher stand against prostitution.
Earlier this month, some 200 Cambodian sex workers protested against the crackdown and alleged that some of them had been physically and sexually abused in custody.
Cambodian law does not explicitly define prostitution as illegal, but commercial sex is frowned upon by authorities who routinely launch sweeps to clean up the streets.
Some sex workers at the protest said they were married with children and their families relied on their job.
6 comments:
Please change your profession.
Sell something else than you know what...
PS: You girls look better in white than in red.
The idea here is that even prostitutes want to be respected. The idea is if you cannot wipe out prostitution, you should control it. I don't believe there is anyway society will accept prostitution as a respectable profession however, I know there are many 'respectable people'who go to prostitutes. They come from all walks of society. In short, people secretly appreciate prostitution. Unless we accept this fact, there will never be a long term solution to prostitution. Cracking down on prostitution works only for a few days. Changing professions is not easy either since society would not accept them as respectable individuals. Not many would want to work with a person who was a former sex worker in a respectable company. Thus, these sex workers are doomed. There is no way to escape their fate but it was people like us (or other people) that caused them to be like this. Ignoring them is like escaping your responsibility... But I am not good myself. You don't have to listen to me... Or maybe you should, if you are like me.
It is all wrong when hookers dressed as nuns and pray to Buddha. Why Cambodia has so many funny and idiotic stories like these???
Where the f*&%$# are the government and social services???? Why when a country has been experiencing double-digit percent in economic growth for several years, and the government allows poor people to sell their daughters to make a living????
Wrong, the government didn't allowed them to sell anyone. They learned it from Ah Scam Rainxy.
What about those street whores in Long Beach? They're disgusted us all.
I am saddened to hear Khmer women have to resort to prostitution for their living. Is this the kind of leader you want to work you and your family?
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