An angry brothel owner gouged out Pross Long's eye with a stick. Sina's tender support is helping her regain her self esteem. "I was dead, and now I have a new life," Pross says.
"I can go to school. And my parents love me. I’m very happy,
very excited. I never expected that."
(Click here to read Sina's story)
October 13, 2009
Peggy Callahan
Huffington Post
How can something so disturbing, so dark, look so ordinary to the untrained eye? They could be young girls hanging out on a warm evening anywhere. But they're not -- they are sex slaves in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. My guide knew this better than anyone. Until a few years ago, she was one of them.
Twelve years ago, Sina Vann was forced to have sex with 20 to 30 men a night. Tonight, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher are presenting her with an award for her heroism in freeing others from sex slavery.
Incredibly, after escaping the hell of daily serial rape, Sina chose to go back and confront human traffickers like the one who enslaved her and fed his greed with her life. She told me, "If I didn't service customers I would be locked in the dungeon. They would tie my hands and tie my feet. And they would splash water over me, and they would shock me. When I was shocked, I felt like my spirit just left me."
Sina continues to go back to this underworld nearly every day, often risking her own life, to help women and girls out of sex slavery and into lives of self-sufficiency and purpose.
Sina was showing me around the brothels as we shot her story. The footage will be seen for the first time tonight at the 2009 Freedom Awards where Free the Slaves honors the Harriet Tubmans and Frederick Douglasses of today.
She is joined by Veero from Pakistan, who escaped slavery and went on to help bring 700 more slaves to freedom.
We're also honoring two young people through the Anne Templeton Zimmerman Fellowship, Alexis Weiss and Betsy Bramon, who are promising new leaders in the anti-slavery movement.
The awards honor freedom, not slavery, and we're ready to celebrate. Jason Mraz, Camilla Belle, Emmitt Smith, Isabel Allende, Ambassador Lou C. deBaca, Pam Omidyar and Maurice Greene will be there. You're invited. Watch it streaming live here at 7 p.m. PST.
Express Yourself LIVE
I dreamed up the Freedom Awards because in Free the Slaves we insist that the people who are closest to slavery should be the leaders and spokesmen and women of the anti-slavery movement. Who better to tell the world that this is real slavery? Who better to explain how people are held against their will, forced to work under threat of violence, and can't walk away? They know in their hearts that the end of slavery is possible for the 27 million people in bondage today. They know it is possible because they have lived liberation.
In our work in many countries we've watched as slaves band together and demand their rights. The slaveholder's thugs may beat them, but they stick it out until they get their freedom, especially when they know that people around the world care and are rooting for them.
But how can we help slavery survivors speak out? I hit the road as a film producer. I've been honored and humbled documenting the stories of slaves and former slaves in seven countries. Most jumped at the chance to talk, and we now have the largest modern slavery film library in the world that we make freely available to journalists wanting to tell the story.
What drives me is the firm belief, the deep knowing, that others should have the chance to witness these souls emerging into freedom, to watch their hearts and lives unfold and bloom. These slaves and former slaves have asked me to share, so share I will. It has become my life's work.
Every time a slave or survivor shares their story with me, they relive great pain. They insist on doing it anyway because they trust that we'll help tell their stories truthfully and without sensation. Somehow they have faith in the people they have never met, but who will hear their story. They pray that once they know, their listeners will act to keep others from slavery.
And now you know. What are you going to do?
Here's a place to start:
Twelve years ago, Sina Vann was forced to have sex with 20 to 30 men a night. Tonight, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher are presenting her with an award for her heroism in freeing others from sex slavery.
Incredibly, after escaping the hell of daily serial rape, Sina chose to go back and confront human traffickers like the one who enslaved her and fed his greed with her life. She told me, "If I didn't service customers I would be locked in the dungeon. They would tie my hands and tie my feet. And they would splash water over me, and they would shock me. When I was shocked, I felt like my spirit just left me."
Sina continues to go back to this underworld nearly every day, often risking her own life, to help women and girls out of sex slavery and into lives of self-sufficiency and purpose.
Sina was showing me around the brothels as we shot her story. The footage will be seen for the first time tonight at the 2009 Freedom Awards where Free the Slaves honors the Harriet Tubmans and Frederick Douglasses of today.
She is joined by Veero from Pakistan, who escaped slavery and went on to help bring 700 more slaves to freedom.
We're also honoring two young people through the Anne Templeton Zimmerman Fellowship, Alexis Weiss and Betsy Bramon, who are promising new leaders in the anti-slavery movement.
The awards honor freedom, not slavery, and we're ready to celebrate. Jason Mraz, Camilla Belle, Emmitt Smith, Isabel Allende, Ambassador Lou C. deBaca, Pam Omidyar and Maurice Greene will be there. You're invited. Watch it streaming live here at 7 p.m. PST.
Express Yourself LIVE
I dreamed up the Freedom Awards because in Free the Slaves we insist that the people who are closest to slavery should be the leaders and spokesmen and women of the anti-slavery movement. Who better to tell the world that this is real slavery? Who better to explain how people are held against their will, forced to work under threat of violence, and can't walk away? They know in their hearts that the end of slavery is possible for the 27 million people in bondage today. They know it is possible because they have lived liberation.
In our work in many countries we've watched as slaves band together and demand their rights. The slaveholder's thugs may beat them, but they stick it out until they get their freedom, especially when they know that people around the world care and are rooting for them.
But how can we help slavery survivors speak out? I hit the road as a film producer. I've been honored and humbled documenting the stories of slaves and former slaves in seven countries. Most jumped at the chance to talk, and we now have the largest modern slavery film library in the world that we make freely available to journalists wanting to tell the story.
What drives me is the firm belief, the deep knowing, that others should have the chance to witness these souls emerging into freedom, to watch their hearts and lives unfold and bloom. These slaves and former slaves have asked me to share, so share I will. It has become my life's work.
Every time a slave or survivor shares their story with me, they relive great pain. They insist on doing it anyway because they trust that we'll help tell their stories truthfully and without sensation. Somehow they have faith in the people they have never met, but who will hear their story. They pray that once they know, their listeners will act to keep others from slavery.
And now you know. What are you going to do?
Here's a place to start:
- Forward this blog to your friends and family. Watch the show. Tonight is your chance to educate others about slavery, while also partying with some of the most interesting people on the planet. Don't forget your dancing shoes.
- Learn the warning signs of slavery and human trafficking. Slavery happens right here in the US too. Know what to do if you suspect a case.
- Tell your elected officials that ending slavery is a priority for you. Ask them to join the Human Trafficking Caucus. Stay tuned at http://www.theactiongroup.org/ for the latest ways for you to demand that the US government combat slavery.
- Sign up to receive updates about the progress of the Freedom Awards winners and other work that is bringing people to freedom every day: www.freetheslaves.net.
- Learn more and spread the word. Our web site has free, downloadable materials to share information with your school, faith community and community group. You can buy Free the Slaves' books at our online store. Also check out Siddharth Kara's Sex Trafficking and Ben Skinner's A Crime So Monstrous.
- Donate $5 to Free The Slaves by texting "FREEDOM" to 85944. Don't forget to confirm your donation by replying "YES."
- The Twitter community can show their support by using the #freetheslaves hashtag, and sending out the following tweet: "There are 27m slaves around the world today. Learn about Free The Slaves & what u can do 2 help #freetheslaves."
23 comments:
That' brothel owner should send to life in jail for gouged out her eye balls...
Did they caught that brothel owner yet? is she or he already in prison? whoever did this to her, must put a way for along long time....150 years terms like bernard meadoff, the ponzi scheme...
In Hun Sen government, they don't like to arrest real criminals. They arrest the fake ones and kick them until they confess their crimes that they have not committed. Hun Sen, Bun Rany, Hun To, and many more are real criminals; they are still at large, living their happy lives while the fake ones are living in Prey Sar jail. This the system of Hun Sen's justice.
people could be very cruel, you know, especially when there's no law to protect people and no justice!
If Khmer government want them in jail,maybe no place to put them.You don't say the people got problem and you blam to the government it is not rigth motherfucker.I will fuck you up if you still talking to my government.
Khmer raise up and demand justice. No demand , no justice! For our people, future, and nation.
Don't let our enemy triump over us.
8:55 AM << you are a retarded idiot.
I feel sorry for 8:55 because I'm not sure if he/she normal or not.
It got to be something seriously wrong here and I don't argue with that kind of person, no matter what.
I feel sorry for 8:55 because I'm not sure if he/she normal or not.
It got to be something seriously wrong here and I don't argue with that kind of person, no matter what.
Very sad, indeed.
8:55AM, you are no better than a dandruffed mad dog; this guy is not normal. He has become retarded since the day Hun Sen bought him off at the cost of one dried bone per day. What he has to do for Hun Sen is keep barking to defense Hun Sen as vigorously as he can. His mental illness cannot be cured by medical means but by means of using a base ball bat to hit his head three times but count as once. If once does not cure him, repeat the same method again an again, and he will come back to normal.
OK, people don't be too harsh on 8:55AM. Considering his/her mental age, he/she probably needs some tender loving care as well.
Speakless for 8:55; What can one say, 'when one hang around mindless bieng, soon enought it will become one'.
I am very happy for her to recieved such an award. Hopefully, someone, somewhere will rise against the evil group or groups.
559.
8:55 AM,
You are a fucked up, retarded, and useless punk mother fucker. If ah Hun Sen and his shit head administration act consciously by the rule of law,....Do think that these fucked up criminals would rome freely in Cambodia? I love my Khmer people and I hate you mother fucker....go back to your Viet Cong shit hole....you scum back....!
Khmer rise up and defend yourself before it too late!
The current government is part of the mess. After 25 yrs, nothing is getting better. Curruptions is getting higher,well known in the international communities. Its a shame to khmer all over.
As PM of Cambodia and a Khmer descent, Mr. Hun Sen must take care all Khmer people.
Vietcong might be strong and powerfull. But very currupted and very un-civilized human race.
Does any one who who that brothel owner is. We must find that bastard or bitch !
Mr. Hun Sen, how do you feel if the victim is your daughter?
Please bring the criminal to justice!
Dictator Hun Xen allowed to open the sex brothel,Hun Xen hat sex with Piseth Paklika,Him Sivon,....
Dictator Hun Xen doen't want the own people living in Freedom and peace!!!!
he has youn Hanoi's brain!!!
Guys! i think 8:55am needed to see Monks for water blessing, or may be jkout jrook or swine flu, one of these disease...?
Did cambodian officials still pressing Thai authority to turns in that Thai soldier to us yet? you know that bastard who shot and burned khmer teen alive...?
6:48 PM
I agreed with you. Thousand of innocent Khmers who were killed in 1993, 1997, and continue to be killed because of ah Hun Sen has been taken good care of them;.......
I hope they caught that brothel owner and punish them or jails them for along long time, to teach other a lesson...
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