When describing the work of Chab Dai and our members and partners to friends, family, strangers, and interested parties, people often ask for clarification as to why we work so much with rape victims. "What do rape and trafficking have to do with each other?" is a common wondering we get from people.
Valid question!
For many reasons, the issue of trafficking has been largely addressed and communicated about in a "silo;" but if we are going to eradicate trafficking, we need to look at it in the context of human rights, development, and dignity of the whole person and whole community. One of the ways we can do this is by beginning to understand how these issues are interconnected.
Hopefully, these three points will help you understand some of the the complexity of trafficking, and inspire you to learn more!
3 Ways Rape and Trafficking Are Connected*
1.
In Cambodian society, once a girl is raped, she is seen to have lost her dignity and worth, and the damage is deemed irreparable. There is a Cambodian saying that goes, "Men are like gold, women are like cloth." Whereas gold is strong and does not lose value, cloth is easily stained. Even though it's not her fault, a raped woman will likely be unable to be honourably married, and often cannot even stay in her home community because of the stigma attached to being a victim of sexual assault. This becomes a major vulnerability factor that leads raped women to enter or be forced into the sex industry ("she is ruined anyway"), where she will likely be exploited and trafficked.
2.
Some research has shown that victims of sex trafficking have a higher sense of control than do victims of rape. Although this may be deemed a false sense of control, stemming from the part the victim played in entering a situation of sexual exploitation, it still affects her state of mind and how resilient she may be in both the exploitative situation in which she finds herself and in the recovery process once she escapes. A victim of rape may enter the sex industry to regain a sense of control over her body, seeing as she is "already lost."
3.
One of the push factors in sex trafficking is unequal gender relations, which includes many manifestations, such as girls being taken out school earlier to help provide for their families and the idea of girls being "fair game" for all male attention and expectations. It could be framed as a demand issue; sexual violence, such as both rape and sexual exploitation, could be seen as more acceptable (or less unacceptable) in a society where men and women are not seen and treated as equal.
* This is by no means an exhaustive list, nor is it the case for all victims of rape and trafficking, which is what makes trafficking such a complex issue! If you would like to read relevant research on these issues, write a comment below and I'll send you some interesting articles.
Valid question!
For many reasons, the issue of trafficking has been largely addressed and communicated about in a "silo;" but if we are going to eradicate trafficking, we need to look at it in the context of human rights, development, and dignity of the whole person and whole community. One of the ways we can do this is by beginning to understand how these issues are interconnected.
Hopefully, these three points will help you understand some of the the complexity of trafficking, and inspire you to learn more!
3 Ways Rape and Trafficking Are Connected*
1.
In Cambodian society, once a girl is raped, she is seen to have lost her dignity and worth, and the damage is deemed irreparable. There is a Cambodian saying that goes, "Men are like gold, women are like cloth." Whereas gold is strong and does not lose value, cloth is easily stained. Even though it's not her fault, a raped woman will likely be unable to be honourably married, and often cannot even stay in her home community because of the stigma attached to being a victim of sexual assault. This becomes a major vulnerability factor that leads raped women to enter or be forced into the sex industry ("she is ruined anyway"), where she will likely be exploited and trafficked.
2.
Some research has shown that victims of sex trafficking have a higher sense of control than do victims of rape. Although this may be deemed a false sense of control, stemming from the part the victim played in entering a situation of sexual exploitation, it still affects her state of mind and how resilient she may be in both the exploitative situation in which she finds herself and in the recovery process once she escapes. A victim of rape may enter the sex industry to regain a sense of control over her body, seeing as she is "already lost."
3.
One of the push factors in sex trafficking is unequal gender relations, which includes many manifestations, such as girls being taken out school earlier to help provide for their families and the idea of girls being "fair game" for all male attention and expectations. It could be framed as a demand issue; sexual violence, such as both rape and sexual exploitation, could be seen as more acceptable (or less unacceptable) in a society where men and women are not seen and treated as equal.
* This is by no means an exhaustive list, nor is it the case for all victims of rape and trafficking, which is what makes trafficking such a complex issue! If you would like to read relevant research on these issues, write a comment below and I'll send you some interesting articles.
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