Title: The Road of Lost Innocence
Author: Somaly Mam (Translated from French by Lisa Appignanesi)
Publisher: Spiegel & Grau; First Edition first Printing edition (September 9, 2008)
Genre: Non-fiction(Autobiography)
Source: Library
Set in: Cambodia
Rating: 5/5
My thoughts:
This was one of the most difficult books I have ever read. We all know that prostitution and human trafficking is million dollar business that seems to continue to grow over the years. But most of us probably don’t know the extent of this problem and how it affects lives of young girls. All over the world and especially in underdeveloped/ developing countries, this is a problem that is quickly getting out of hands.
The Road of Lost Innocence is a story from Cambodia. Ms. Somaly had a very horrific life, 100 times more horrific than you can guess from the synopsis of the book. The worst phase was her life in the brothel. She describes the desperate and dirty living conditions in the low-end brothels where one girl had to sometimes service 10-15 men in one day. She says Cambodian men are very violent people, the years of Khmer regime has left a mark on them. She describes how the prostitutes are forced into the trade by their family members, by their own mothers and fathers. Poverty drives them to do this.
When she left the brothel for good, she married a Frenchman who was a social worker in Cambodia. After that she decided to use her status as a white man’s wife to help girls like her. She started a center that housed women rescued from brothels. Her center also provided health care and a way for these girls to build their life again by teaching them various skills. She also initiated an educational program which educated men into what prostitution was really like for those girls. Cambodian men seemed to treat women like commodities and she tried to speak against that by showing them that they were after all human beings.
The most shocking part was the ages of these girls in the brothels. There are as young as 5-6 year old girls. Some men seem to believe that having sex with a virgin will cure them of AIDS. To ensure that the girls were virgins, they bought in girls as young as 5.
I have such immense respect for Ms. Somaly and the work her organization is doing instead of the constant threats they get. In Cambodia, big brothels are controlled or owned by powerful people. Even policeman have a share in the brothels earnings. When the system that is supporting you is going against you, people like Somaly Mam provide a beacon of hope.
I had watched a documentary on these very children of Cambodia but I guess the documentary masked some of the horrific details. This book tells you things as they are. And even when sometimes things become too difficult to read, I just had to keep going on. If we cannot help these girls, we at least owe it to them to be informed about their fate and know that there are people like them who suffer endlessly for no fault of theirs.
Note: The paperback edition contains some pictures, whereas the hardback doesn’t.
Some of the links:
Internet links:
Somaly Mam’s foundation
AFESIP: Acting for women in distressing situation
When a Hotel is a brothel and vice versa
Cambodia faces problems enforced new sex trafickking law
VIOLET CRUSH 
Great review, Violet!
I agree it’s not easy reading books on this issue. What most saddens and anger me about this is that even young children are not spared. I’m in awe of the author for her courage and the things she’s doing for the girls.
Oh my gosh, what a horrific story! It sounds like the author was very brave to tell her story. I can’t imagine forcing my child into prostitution, even if I was dirt poor.
This sounds difficult and very important. What was the name of the film? We’ve been watching a lot of documentaries lately and I’d love to ad this to the list.
I saw it on CNN in their World’s Untold Stories series. It was called “Innocence for Sale”.
In fact, the documentary is posted on the CNN site, I’m not sure it’s the whole thing though.
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/02/08/cambodia.wus.child.sex.trafficking/index.html
Click on a video link on the left
Hi Violet, you’ve been reading lots of great non-fictions. Thank you for the review of this one. I will be on the lookout for it. I really can’t imagine living a life like that.
Oh Violet, I have read this. And everyday since then I think how fortunate I am and for that matter all women folk I know are.
This was a very strong book and what I liked the most about is how Somaly Mam narrated her part of the story without sounding sympathetic towards her life or seeking pity in any way.
I was moved to tears when I read about those kids 😦
Absolutely, I so love the author not only for what she is doing but for the kind of person she is.
This is so horrific. Thank you, Violet, for being this book to my attention. I already had a fair idea of what went on there but I didn’t know the details. I feel as though it’s books like these that we have to read in order to gain a better knowledge about the problems that occur and the horrific circumstances people around the world have no choice but to face.
Oh wow. I never would have guessed this was the topic of the book. Remember about a year ago, there was a novel called The Blue Notebook that dealt with human trafficking and it was heart-wrenching. This one being non-fiction is just calling out to me….
I have The Blue Notebook in my TBR but haven’t read it yet. But yes, this being a non-fiction makes it all the more real and horrifying.
Whoa! That’s terrible. This sounds like a very important book to read, and really highlights how women and girls can be regarded not as human beings with basic rights and dignity, but objects to tools to be used and discarded. Very disturbing.
This sounds like a difficult, but very necessary and important read. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this.
Btw, I found your blog through the women unbound review links and I hope to visit more often.
I did read this book and it’s in lookinf for it online for a book club i have that i stumbled upon these reviews. it is beyond hard to read it’s horric. O h how my heart goes out even more to women in these situations and the bravery of those that foun d the strength to leave.
Reblogged this on kendi kimathi and commented:
Looking for this book desperately…some1 pliiiz…
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