March in Siemreap to Protest Violence Against Women

March to Protest Violence Against Women
Ratana Seng
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
23/11/2005

About 300 beer-girls, NGO officials, legislators, civil servants and
union officials will march on November 27 at the historical tourist
attraction site in Siemreap province to protest against violence
committed on the beer-girls.

The march to stop violence against women is an activity as part of the
world campaign to curb violence against women. The campaign will last
16 days and it will coincide with the international Human Rights Day.

The beer-girls have to entertain their male guests who purchase the
beers. They have been abused over the years. They were slapped, have
beer poured on their heads, and forced to drink beer with the
customers. People perceive them as prostitutes because some of them do
go home with their customers. They said that their guests told them
they are cheap and bad.


Ms. Mu Sochua
Ms. Mu Sochua, former Minister of the Ministry of Women's Affairs said
that the campaign's goal is to inform the public about the danger that
the beer-girls face.

In Cambodia, there are about 5,000 so-called beer-girls who have to be
friendly, pretty, and satisfy their guests.

The number of these girls increase according to the rising numbers of
bars, karaoke and night clubs. These places are the breeding grounds
for AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, sexual violence, and women's
rights violation.

These girls work from 5:00 PM to 3:00 AM.

Ms. Lay Sopheap of the Free Trade Union of Kingdom of Cambodia said
that these girls are not represented.

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