Story of the Book: Sharing Experiences of Aftercare for the Sexually Exploited

This dissertation shares a true-life situation of one young Khmer woman trafficked for the express purpose of sexual exploitation. She dies from AIDS she contracted while enslaved. The paper examines some questions and observations resulting from her life and death and the countless number of people she represents.

Human trafficking for sexual exploitation parallels the commonly acknowledged evil Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade in capture and depraved treatment. The scope of the problem is seen to cover centuries in time with no geographical boundaries. Similarities also link trafficking for sexual exploitation with prostitution. Important attention is made of the trauma encountered in either experience that requires aftercare. Notice is also given to the economic impact of the immoral and illegal activity.

The focus becomes specific to Cambodia, a country that is infamous for sex tourism and trafficking. Factors are considered that explore the country's promotion of sexual exploitation as it is documented from the past to the present. This includes its historical, political, religious, and educational facets of culture as well as societal attitudes toward sex outside of marriage.

The White Lotus Project is then presented as one response addressing the needs of victims of sexual exploitation. Its holistic approach is outlined through a description of the project's modules for the physical, emotional/psychological, educational/vocational, and spiritual components of the person.

Although factors of education and culture are not sufficient singly, they are emphasized in the aftercare with Christian values of the individual. The results are expressed in terms of God transforming lives. Discussion covers the cost of aftercare in human terms and the effectiveness inconsistent with the size of the problem. The conclusion is expressed as obedience to God in starting and staying with the ministry.