Sex Workers' Network Commends U.S. State Department Assessment of Cambodian Trafficking Law

SHARP grantee Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers (APNSW) released an official statement commending the U.S. State Department's 2009 Trafficking in Persons Report for its assessment of the Cambodian Law on Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation.

The report indicates that enforcement of the law has focused on policing, arresting, and detaining sex workers while failing to investigate and prosecute traffickers. Additionally, the report details human rights abuses committed against sex workers—including rape, physical beatings, and extortion—resulting from brothel raids conducted by Cambodian police.

SHARP supports APNSW's efforts in Cambodia to raise awareness of the human rights abuses against sex workers and other marginalized populations resulting from the implementation of the trafficking law. APNSW is urging Cambodian law enforcement to use the law to investigate and prosecute major traffickers, in line with the recommendations given by the State Department, rather than arresting and detaining sex workers.

APNSW is a federation of sex worker groups and sex worker-led projects that work in 21 countries in the Asia Pacific region to reduce sex workers' vulnerability to human rights abuses, HIV, and social marginalization.

More information on APNSW is available on its blog at http://apnswdollhouse.wordpress.com/.