Sex workers ask govt to ensure their safety

In a public forum organised by a women’s rights NGO yesterday, sex workers demanded to decriminalize the sex work and that the authorities to ensure their safety and protect them from the public security guards raid and violence.

The Women’s Network for Unity (WNU) held the forum under the theme “Nothing about us without us” which saw a participation of over 200 sex workers from all over the country.

The forum, according to the organisers, is aimed at celebrating the “Day to Stop Violence Against Sex Workers” and for increased cooperation from relevant ministries and institutions to put an end to violence against them.

Sok Sreyleap, an independent sex worker and the organizing officer of WNU, said that sex work is a “job” and thus sex workers deserve the same respect.

“Everyone has the right to choose their own job. My job is no different to other jobs. I am a sex worker today, but tomorrow I might sell clothes or work for a company. It’s our right,” she said.

However, Sreyleap said that in her daily job, she has to face violence from her clients and the public security guards while also suffering from discrimination from some parts of society.

“Today we demand an end to violence as well as for public awareness to recognise that sex work is a job. You must stop violence, discrimination, and abuse by viewing it as a job, and not criminalise it,” she added.

Another sex worker, who wants to be simply addressed as “Phalla,” said one of the major problems she faces is the public security guards.

“When we are waiting for the clients, we were raided by the public security guards. Only when we give them money will they release us,” she said.

“We volunteer to do this job ourselves, and no one forces us to do it. We want more protection and security,” she added.

Another sex worker who declined to be named said, “We are not victims of human trafficking, what we are facing is a discriminatory mindset and not being recognised as workers, which is within the law.”

According to the Women’s Network for Unity, 683 sex workers have been arrested since 2016 until now. They have also been reported to have been victimised through violence, insults and exploitation of their property.

Through a case study compiled by the WNU, from 2015 to 2023, there were 371 cases, most of which involved rape, aggravated assault, violence, bribery demanded by the public security guards, close partners, husbands, neighbours, landlords and discrimination from service providers.

In addition, a raid on sex workers in January 2017 caused a sex worker to die while trying to escape from the Daun Penh district security force.

“Despite the increase in recognition and acceptance from the public, sex workers in Cambodia still suffer from endless harassment from the officials and law enforcers, as well as from some parts of the public,” the WNU said in a statement, adding that some online content creators even use their images for financial gain.

The NGO thus asked the government to provide sex workers with more protection and even recommended that the government to decriminalise the sex work.

According to the Ministry of Social Work, there are 50,000 sex workers across the country.

Also attending the forum yesterday was Chou Bun Eng, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Interior and Vice-Chairwoman of the National Committee for Counter-Trafficking.

She said that while the comprehensive Law on Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation, which was enacted in 2008, penalises the trafficking of people, the management of sex work and the maintenance of a brothel, as well as soliciting in public and distributing pornography, and all acts of exchanging sex for money.

“The government protects all citizens no matter what job they do as long as they follow the law,” she said.
“People are not born the same. Choosing a specific career is not a mistake as long as it is righteous,” she added.

Link: Khmer Time