Putting an End to Sex Abuse

by Tori Lewis, 10B

Somaly Mam, Cambodian author. 

       For girls who have experienced incest, sexual abuse, or rape, the boundaries between love, sex, and pain become blurred. Secrets are normal, and shame is a constant.” In one study, offenders of boys or girls were found to have molested an average of 62 girls and 31 boys in this lifetime. What will put a stop to sexual abuse?

     

      This situation is very important because kids especially girls have been tricked into getting kidnapped and have been treated wrong. Twenty seven million people are in slavery, 1 million children are exposed to sex trade every year. Women and young girls either sold or kidnapped and there isn’t much for them to do. They are stuck in that position forever. Some females are put into brothels, where they are tortured by the people they were sold to. 70% of female victims are brought into commercial sex and the remaining 30% are in forced labor.

       People should start to take action against sex abuse.  A significant percent of incidents which is stated as sexually abuse involve no physical contact between the child and the adult. “ In Vietnam, they were particularly scornful of me. Skinned girl with no more brains than a lump of wood.” Most victims feel isolated from the rest of the world. Some include behavioral problems, addictions, sexual promiscuity, and a sudden drop in grades. Others include anxiety, chronic depression, sleep disorders, addictions, low self-esteem, suicidal urges, feelings of isolation, shame and guilt, and difficulty with sex and relationships.

       In the book “The Road of Lost Innocence” by Somaly Mam is another example of a sex slavery survivor. She didn’t know her parents and have been sold to many people. Each person would give her a different name, but she liked “Somaly” the best because it meant “The necklace of flowers lost in the virgin forest.” She was sold to a brothel. She has been rapped many times and people would make fun of her. She eventually married a man name Pierre, also known as “Khmers de France” who influenced her to help poor young girls who became prostitutes. The only reason she wanted to help them is because she went through the exact same thing they’re going through.

      

       Everyone should work together as a team to help stop this mess in Cambodia. Little things like writing a letter to Obama and protesting to stop sex abuse might bring more awareness to people and show them how serious this situation is. Sex abuse impact many peoples lives. We have to try our best to show them that we actually care. We can’t do this without teamwork.