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Oct 16, 2009

Cambodian activist fights to save victims of sexual slavery

photo somalyActivist Somaly Mam, who escaped a life of sexual slavery in Cambodia and went on to rescue more than 6,000 girls from the same fate, appeared at the UCLA Law School Sept. 30 to share her experiences and her passion for her fight against human trafficking.
 
Her own family struggled through poverty and limited opportunities during her childhood. Mam was eventually sold into a life of sexual slavery many times by a man who posed as her "grandfather." At a very young age, she was forced to work in a brothel with other young girls, where they were subjected to torture, manipulation and scare tactics.
 
Today, she runs the largest shelters in Southeast Asia. For her work, she has been named Glamour Magazine's 2008 Woman of the Year, was recognized as a CNN Hero and has been featured on CBC, CBS, NBC and MSNBC. Time Magazine selected her this year as one of the world's 100 Most Influential People. Mam told her story in “The Road of Lost Innocence” (2008).
  
Watch a video, produced by Kevin Matthews and Oliver Chien, that features her UCLA appearance, sponsored by the School of Law International Human Rights Program.