Cambodian women find shelter from abuse

Thu Mar 6, 2008
By Lach Chantha

PHNOM PENH (Reuters Life!) - Cambodia's violent past has been laid open in the "Killing Fields" war crime trials, but another widespread form of violence here remains hidden: domestic abuse.

While there are no official statistics, activists estimate that one out of every four Cambodian women is the target of abuse within her home. Many are too afraid to seek help or do not know how to, and women's shelters are still a novelty.

Scholars say decades of conflict, including the Khmer Rouge "Killing Fields" in which an estimated 1.7 million people died, have eroded family ties. Cambodians say domestic violence is problem that goes back generations.

"I see that the biggest cause of domestic violence is the seizure of power in the family. The husband has the power and he does not want his wife to complain," said Oung Chanthol, executive director of the Cambodian Women's Crisis Center (CWCC).

Chanthol's organization runs a shelter for battered women and has been involved in various activities to help women and children since 1997.

"Another cause is our tradition, which says the best way for women to deal with problems is to hide them in their minds. That is why abusive husbands are not afraid to continue violence against their wives," Chanthol added.

In the past, a prospective husband was required to serve his bride-to-be's family for a few years so the parents could make sure he was trustworthy. That custom has all but died out, but most men still move in with their wife and her family.

SCARED BUT SAFE

Cambodian women are traditionally the ones to inherit from the parents. But their status as heirs does not equal power.

Thirty-year-old Huong Him escaped from her house and abusive husband in Takeo province and has been living at the CWCC shelter with her three sons for two months. Too scared to leave the facility for fear that her husband might track her down, Him has been concentrating on learning how to sew.

Other women at the secret shelter learn skills such as cooking and hairdressing so they can support themselves once they leave.

"Now I am happy that I can stay here with my children and stay away from my husband. He cannot beat me anymore," Him said.

Many women do go on to become financially independent after leaving the shelter.

After a year at CWCC, Chap Neun, 35, a former victim of domestic violence who has since divorced her husband, opened a tailoring business in her home on the outskirts of Phnom Penh.

The business is only five months old, but Neun has a trickle of orders from neighbors which allows her to support her mother and three children.

"I don't worry anymore about my husband now. I think that I should concentrate on my work to make money to feed my children," she says.

Despite the matrilineal inheritance system, there used to be a preference for sons over daughter in Cambodia, since boys could obtain high ranking positions in the military or government as adults.

Cambodian women are still discriminated against in terms of education, legal protection and careers. But an unprecedented economic boom here has opened new opportunities for women, not only in vegetable markets and other low-skilled jobs but also in offices.

(Writing by Sophie Hardach)

Media hype clouds Cleghorn rape appeal

By Lachlan Forsyth and Sam Rith
Phnom Penh Post, Issue 16 / 14, July 13 - 26, 2007

The legal wrangling and jostling for headlines in the Graham Cleghorn case look set to continue, after the Cambodian Court of Appeal upheld his conviction for rape.

At a July 10 announcement following his appeal hearing the presiding judges said they found no reason to dismiss the charges or reduce his sentence.

Cleghorn, 60, a New Zealander, was tried and convicted for the rape of five teenage girls employed at his Siem Reap home in February 2004.

"I have to say that we are all totally devastated at the outcome of the appeal and still firmly believe that Graham has not had a fair and proper hearing in to his case," said Cleghorn's New Zealand lawyer, Greg King, in a July 12 email.

King said Cambodia must ensure that minimum standards of criminal procedure were adhered to, as defined under the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights.

"This especially relates to the refusal of all courts to date to hear from the defense witnesses that Graham wanted heard at his original trial in 2004. The fact that his appeal has taken nearly three years and was 'adjourned' eight times, really makes us question what is going on over there," he said.

Oung Chanthol, director of the Cambodian Women's Crisis Centre (CWCC), an NGO that helped bring about the charges, said the organization was delighted that the decision had been upheld, and said it set a "great precedent."

"We are satisfied with the result of the verdict this morning," said CWCC Municipality Coordinator Nop Sarinsreyroth. "Even though nothing can be done to replace the damage done to the victims -at least they have now got justice."

The trial has sparked a great deal of media attention in New Zealand.

Concern about Cleghorn's first appeal hearing, held without his or his lawyer's presence, and without New Zealand or British embassy officials being notified, prompted the New Zealand government to press Cambodian court for a second appeal.

But the absence of witnesses, lawyers and Cleghorn himself meant it took numerous attempts and more than 12 months before the hearing was finally held.

After the July 10 decision was announced the New Zealand embassy consul in Bangkok, Grant Traill, said that New Zealand does not hold any opinions on the outcomes of criminal proceedings against New Zealanders.

"As long as the appeal process was in accordance with Cambodian law and proper judicial process, the verdict must be accepted," he said.

But many New Zealanders remain concerned that Cleghorn did not receive what could be considered a fair trial by New Zealand standards.

Cleghorn maintains the victims, who all worked for him, were paid up to $10,000 each by the CWCC to testify against him.

Further accusations that the original judge was in cahoots with the CWCC and was intending to blackmail Cleghorn for his land, did little to quell rumors that Cleghorn had been set up.

While the legal wrangling continues, the media is proving an increasingly important player in this drama.

The handling of the trial and subsequent appeals ensured that doubts still lingered in New Zealand about the efficiency and efficacy of the Cambodian justice system, and as a result the case received widespread media coverage.

Not all of that coverage was been deemed helpful to Cleghorn's cause.

Dunedin-based Cleghorn supporter Dr Lynley Hood said the serious nature of the allegations carried a powerful emotional impact and profound sense of urgency. Hood is the author of "A City Possessed," a book which questioned the methods used to gain the high-profile conviction Peter Ellis on child sex abuse charges. Hood said there were parallels between the two cases.

"These factors can cloud any dispassionate consideration of the facts. As a result, the accused's right to natural justice is often swept aside in the rush to judgment, and allegations tend to be treated as established facts," Hood said via email.

"Nothing is more damaging and defamatory than wrongly accusing a man of being a pedophile," she added.

Meanwhile, the CWCC has been critical of a so-called "smear campaign" launched by the New Zealand media.

"It is surprising and sorry to see the low quality of professionalism of some NZ media. Most articles presented only one-sided-information, echoing the voice of Cleghorn, his supporters or sympathizers, who strategically slandered or defamed CWCC to get the attention out of his case," she said.

Chanthol said often little effort was made to contact either the victims or CWCC and she has consistently denied Cleghorn's claims the CWCC had bribed victims.

"[Cleghorn] has been shown as innocent and sympathetic by stating that he lost weight, attempted to commit suicide, his teeth were falling out...these articles completely failed to say about the suffering, tears, trauma, and future of the girls and their families," Chanthol told the Post.

"I could not understand those articles which condemned CWCC, which helps thousand girls who were raped, trafficked and beaten up by their abusive husbands, while they were campaigning for the convicted. Would they do that if the case happened in New Zealand?"

King said his client had a lot of support in New Zealand, and a media campaign was being used to maintain public momentum for the case.

U.S. Embassy honors 2 Cambodians with Women of Courage Award

Ms. Oung Chanthol, Executive Director and Founder of the Cambodian Women's Crisis Center (CWCC)

March 12, 2007

The U.S. Embassy in Cambodia honored two women as the Cambodian winner and runner-up of International Women of Courage Award on Monday.

"Presenting this award to women of courage is an opportunity to celebrate acts of bravery by the extraordinary women in Cambodian who, in transforming their own society, create a more peaceful and prosperous nation for all," U.S. Ambassador Joseph A. Mussomeli said in a ceremony joined by Cambodian Minister of Women's and Veteran's Affairs H.E. Dr. Ing Kantha Phavi.

The winner for Cambodia is Ms. Oung Chanthol, Executive Director and Founder of the Cambodian Women's Crisis Center (CWCC), a press release said, adding that the runner-up is Ms. Ith Mathoura, a trained lawyer currently working for the Community Legal Education Center (CLEC).

These two women have demonstrated outstanding courage and leadership in promoting the political, economic and social advancement of women in Cambodia, it said.

Ms. Oung Chanthol is a lawyer who has been a leader in the fight against violence against women, particularly trafficking, rape and domestic violence, Mussomeli said, adding that Ms. Oung Chanthol founded the CWCC in 1997 which has helped several thousand victims of gender-based violence.

"This award is not just a proud moment for CWCC and for me, but for all, our whole nation, all women in Cambodia, and our government, which sees women as crucial partners in the development of our nation," Ms. Oung Chanthol said after receiving the award from Mussomeli.

The first annual "International Women of Courage" awards program was inaugurated by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in honor of International Women's Day 2007, the press release said, adding that the award is the State Department's only continuing awards program exclusively for emerging women leaders.

Source: Xinhua