Sex Trade in Cambodia

Sex trafficking or modern day slavery is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world. These businesses involving sex trade are slowly evolving and making billions of dollars by the minute. This repugnant violation of human rights is the most protruding in the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh. Women and young females are having intercourse and/or oral sex against their will for the exchange of money. There are many contributing factors that lead to the practice of sex trafficking in Cambodia. The environmental, political, economic and social factors all play a role in this horrendous issue.

In 2006, a report filed under the U.S State Department read "The Government of Cambodia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so." It is well know that having sexual relations with a under aged child is unlawful, however, law enforcement is ineffective. Many of the deceptive politicians and officials such as the prime minister of Cambodia Hun Sen and his government refuse to take action mainly because it is benefiting the government and the country. The Cambodian government is choosing to ignore the Trafficking Victims Protection Act enforced by the U.S Department of State’s Trafficking due to the fact of their loss of money. Cambodia is currently in a state of mass poverty and the sex trafficking is the reason of the economy slowly rising again, which is why the government refrains from taking any action. Also, many families that are financially unstable of supporting a child and/or need the extra money to feed themselves turn to sex trade, selling their daughters as a way to obtain money. The only con the Cambodian government suffers from is from appeasing international aid organizations that want sex trade to stop and their consistent complaints to the Cambodian government. Unfortunately sex trade has become a multimillion-dollar sex industry in Cambodia. International