Authoritarian Discipline as a Remedy for Sex Trafficking in Cambodia

Abstract

This article explores the unlikely convergence of patriarchal beliefs, ideologies, and narratives between traditional Cambodian culture, Christian ideologies, and international political pressures on the Cambodian government. This convergence creates the opportunity for an authoritarian disciplinary approach to social justice and community development interventions to address sex trafficking in Cambodia that denies women the agency to make choices about their bodies and engage in sexual commerce for economic survival or financial gain. It also legitimizes strict control of women during their recovery from sex trafficking, preventing them from contacting their families, denying them freedom of movement, and coercing them to work in social enterprises or state-owned operations as part of their rehabilitation. Government actors and anti-trafficking NGOs use cultural, religious, and political narratives to equate sex work and sex trafficking, resulting in physical violence against women, infringements on their human rights, invasions of their privacy, and their subjection to disciplinary environments in both government and NGO shelters. Narratives identifying women engaging in sexual commerce as trafficking victims without regard for their circumstances and choices is an act of rhetorical violence and social injustice that diminishes their perceived value in society, reduces their access to opportunities and social support systems, and results in increased risks of other forms of violence. This article recommends clarifying anti-trafficking legislation, improving oversight on anti-trafficking responses and interventions, and improving social and cultural narratives related to sex trafficking.