"Tough Girls"--By Cheneil Leavitt



[Writing as Activism]--Conference on Writing and Social Justice
Wolran Kim (Apr 2011)



Leavitt let us hear of the status of sex trafficking in Cambodia, based on her experiences as a child directly. Many Cambodians sell whatever they can to maintain their livelihood, even young daughters. The girls are being thrown at the street of prostitution. The number of women which engaged in sex trafficking is approximately 100,000 only in Phnompen, and 30% of them are children. More seriously, the targets of prostitution girls are only 5-6 years old. According to Leavitt's testimony, 7 years old girls sell for $10. Why are these young girls replaced in the field of prostitution?

Cambodia's economic growth is fast like 13% in 2005, but still 80% of people are poor. They are still a country of poor category of the world. There are many warning signs of prostitution with young Cambodian girls in the street. This shows how serious the level of child prostitution should be. Various NGO groups cooperate with the government trying to help this situation. I had read about 'Somali Mom' who experienced in touring brothels and prostitutes in her childhood. She is operating the care center for them, and helps them go back into society. 3000 women and children who broken minds and bodies in prostitution, received basic education and social rehabilitation.

The motives for prostitution are poverty, childhood sexual abuse, loneliness, and juvenile delinquency. Leavitt says, the slavery of the 21st century is more devastation than the slavery of the 19th century. This event reminds me the movie, "Killing Field" which dramatized legwork of the journalist, Sydney Schanberg. As the title song of this movie, "Imagine", even now, more than half of the world is filled with misery from poverty, ideology, nationalism, and religion. It would not be living together if we disregard to them because we are living in a land full of abundance and peace. Many people are trying to save disastrous souls in other districts. Love for humanity is always higher and greater than the borders of countries.


[Imagine]

Sung by John Lennon
O.S.T. of 'Killing Fields'

Imagine there's no heaven
it's easy if you try
No hell below us
above us
only sky
Imagine all the people
living for today
Ahaa ~

Imagine there's no countries
it isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
and no religion too
Imagine all the people
living life in peace -- you
You may say I'm a dreamer
but I'm not the only one
I hope someday
you'll join us
and the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed
nor hunger
a brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
sharing all the world
-- you

You may say I'm a dreamer
but I'm not the only one
I hope someday
you'll join us
and the world will live as one