Proud to Be a Girl: Empowering Girls in Cambodia

Vorleak is a 15 year old who is resilient, brave, and hardworking. She’s also a survivor of sexual abuse. Growing up, her home life wasn't easy, Vorleak can’t remember her father. He left when she was very young, leaving her mother to take care of her and her three sisters alongside of her grandmother.

The women in her house often had to work nights, leaving her alone with her Uncle. When Vorleak was 12, her Uncle took advantage of this and raped her repeatedly. Vorleak was afraid to tell her Mother about the abuse, so decided to tell her Grandmother. Her Grandmother went to the police, and although she hadn’t meant for it to, word spread throughout their village quickly. Finally, Vorleak found the courage to tell her mother about the abuse, but her Mother resented her for not confiding in her first, and even worse, said she didn’t believe her. She found herself entirely alone.

Vorleak was taken into residential care, where started her journey to healing. She didn’t want to live. Vorleak considered suicide, but her counsellor encouraged her that things could get better. Her counsellor was right, and slowly but surely, they did.

Through Hagar’s counselling and support, Vorleak was able to continue to heal from the abuse of her past. She knows now that what happened to her was never her fault, and that her abuser is the guilty one. Vorleak now has the courage to stand up to people who tell her she is to blame, and she tells them that she knows she is not.

For two years now, Vorleak has been working hard at a restaurant. She loves her job. The restaurant managers encourage her in her education, Vorleak is learning English and is really enjoying it. She dreams of one day opening and running her own small restaurant. Now, Vorkleak sees her future, and she is no longer bound by her past.

Ryma grew up in a province on the border of Cambodia and Thailiand. Her parents were subsistence farmers and were often out farming. They rarely had time to watch over her and her six siblings, and she often felt unsafe as she travelled to and from school. One day in July 2014, a high ranking soldier kidnapped her. She was 17 years old. He raped her multiple times over the two days that he kept her. She was locked up in his living quarters and begged to be let free but he refused. He injured her face, eyes and stomach. Ryma was afraid he would kill her.

The soldier finally released her and took her back to her home, on condition that she lied and said she had had an accident on the way home. Ryma agreed, but as soon as she arrived home, she told her mother what had happened. When the soldier found out she had told her parents, he said he would marry her. But her parents said no.

Ryma was referred to Hagar in 2015 where she was placed in a secure home for women who have survived abuse. She stayed there for over a year, where she slowly started regaining self-worth, belief in herself and a better future. Ryma excelled during her catch up education. In October 2016, Ryma was reintegrated back into her community, where she continued to receive close counselling and mentoring from Hagar. With advice from her case manager, Ryma was encouraged to think about her future. She decided to train as a hairdresser. Recently, she married a man who loves her very much.

“I don’t feel too anxious anymore. I want to focus on the future, and show that women like me can still be business women and earn an income for my future family. It’s not because I suffered abuse that I will let my life stop”