Somaly Mam Biography

Somaly Mam was born into an impoverished tribal minority household in Cambodia's Mondulkiri region. With little alternatives as a member of a highly stigmatized ethnic minority and living in unthinkable poverty, her family frequently resorted to drastic measures to live. This convergence of bad luck resulted in the horrible traumas that would define Mam's childhood. A guy posing as Mam's grandpa sold her into sexual slavery. She still doesn't know who this man was to her because of the passage of time and the instability of a scarred memory. Nonetheless, his actions launched her on an inconceivable path filled with peril, despair, and, eventually, success. Mam was tormented and raped on a regular basis while forced to work in a brothel with other minors. One night, she was forced to witness the brutal murder of her best friend. Fearing she would meet the same death, she bravely fled her captors and started about making a new life for herself. She promised to never forget those who were left behind, and she has since dedicated her life to helping victims and inspiring survivors. Somaly Mam founded the Cambodian non-governmental organization AFESIP in 1996. (Agir Pour les Femmes en Situation Precaire). AFESIP, led by Mam, takes a comprehensive strategy to ensuring that victims not only escape their suffering, but also have the mental and financial fortitude to face the future with optimism. With the establishment of the Somaly Mam Foundation in 2007, she developed a financing mechanism to help anti-trafficking groups as well as a forum for victims and survivors to have their voices heard around the world. Mam has earned international acclaim for her relentless work and is now a respected leader at the forefront of the anti-trafficking campaign. Somaly was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People in 2009 and was highlighted as a CNN Hero. She is widely regarded as a visionary for her courage, dignity, resourcefulness, and tenacity. She has also received the Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation, The World's Children's Prize for the Rights of the Child (WCPRC), Glamour Magazine's 2006 Woman of the Year Award, and recognition from the United States Department of Homeland Security. Mam's achievement, however, has come at a cost. Her family and she have experienced terrible death threats and assault. When asked why she continues to fight in the face of such ferocious and terrifying opposition, she firmly states, "I don't want to leave without leaving a trace."

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