Replies

http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/s05010124.htm

ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 2126, Garden Grove, CA 92842-2126 USA
Visit our web site at: www.assistnews.net -- E-mail: danjuma1@aol.com

Wednesday, January 26, 2005

NEW BOOK, "TERRIFY NO MORE" CHRONICLES CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING PROBLEM IN CAMBODIA, FOCUSING ON DRAMATIC RESCUE OF DOZENS OF YOUNG GIRLS FROM BROTHEL
Decisive Sentence Handed Down In Cambodian Sex Trafficking Cases Involving Teenage Victims

By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

NASHVILLE, TN (ANS) -- The International Justice Mission, a well-renowned human rights agency, is well known for their work to rescue victims from child sex trafficking and slavery in Cambodia and other parts of Asia. IJM investigators and lawyers recently presented cases of girls trafficked and sexually exploited and won three strong court victories. Their work is chronicled in a new book, "Terrify No More" from W Publishing Group (ISBN 0-8499-1838-3; $21.99; hardcover).

"Terrify No More" starts with the dramatic story of the undercover investigation and rescue operation to save dozens of elementary school-age girls who were being sold to pedophiles in Svay Pak, Cambodia. The book follows as tireless workers from IJM infiltrated the ring and gather evidence to free the children, despite facing impossible odds, according to a press release received by ASSIST News Service (ANS).

The release says “Terrify No More” also exposes the massive slavery problem in Southern Asia, where slavery runs rampant in businesses such as brick kilns, agriculture, and manufacturing. The book exposes how entire families, sometimes generations deep, can become enslaved over a single debt as small as twenty dollars.

“Throughout the book, the reader is taken inside the covert missions, racing against the clock, dodging death threats and witnessing police corruption and tip offs that threaten to shut the rescue mission down. The reader follows every step of the operation, from initial infiltration, interviewing the victims, planning the raids, alerting the authorities, rescuing the victims, and providing aftercare.” the release states.

International Justice Mission is the human rights agency that has made headlines for its work to rescue victims from the international sex trade and bonded slavery. Under the direction of Gary Haugen, former director of the United Nations genocide investigation in Rwanda, the IJM has been the subject of features by Dateline NBC, Forbes Magazine, 60 Minutes II, NBC Nightly News, Oprah, Wall Street Journal, New York Times and many others.

The release continues: "Led by a highly trained team of professional lawyers and investigators, IJM goes deep into poverty stricken countries where undercover team members infiltrate brothels and places of bonded slavery. IJM then works with authorities to free hundreds of slaves, put their perpetrators in jail, and provide aftercare to the victims each year."

"Terrify No More" is a riveting true story of one of the world’s biggest humanitarian crises. The book is in stores everywhere now. Proceeds from the sale of the book will benefit International Justice Mission, which is based in Washington, D.C.

RECENT INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE MISSION CASES

Last week a Cambodian court handed down two ten-year prison sentences and one 15-year sentence to individuals found guilty of sexually exploiting teenage girls in two separate cases.

"This is a critical point in Cambodia's fight against trafficking when in recent weeks there has been good cause for concern about the seriousness of the commitment within the country. I'm hopeful these convictions are but one of many signs to come that Cambodia is indeed determined to abolish slavery," said Sharon Cohn, vice president of interventions for International Justice Mission.

Pich Horn, a brothel keeper and Chin Dara Tra, a pimp, were found guilty of exploiting three teenage girls who were regularly drugged and beaten at the brothel and forced to have sex. The girls were sold to the brothel keeper who forced them to work off the amount for which they were purchased. Each time they were drugged, the cost of the drugs would also be added to their debt. International Justice Mission investigated the girls’ cases and worked with local law enforcement to rescue the three from the brothel and placed them in a safe aftercare facility. Each of the girls bravely testified in court in front of the perpetrators. Horn was found guilty in absentia of Trafficking and sentenced to 15 years. Tra was found guilty of Pimping and sentenced to ten years.

In another case also decided last week, Chang Mihong was found guilty of Trafficking and sentenced to ten years in prison. International Justice Mission provided testimony of the trafficking and sexual exploitation of a 15-year-old girl earlier rescued by IJM from a brothel. The judge deliberated for a brief ten minutes prior to handing down the verdict.

For further information contact: Chris Roslan
Dera, Roslan & Campion, PR
(212) 966-4600
chris@derapr.com
or Heather D. Adams
W Publishing Group
(615) 902-2224
hadams@thomasnelson.com

** Michael Ireland is an international British freelance journalist. A former reporter with a London newspaper, Michael is the Chief Correspondent for ASSIST News Service of Garden Grove, CA. Michael immigrated to the United States in 1982 and became a US citizen in Sept., 1995. He is married with two children. Michael has also been a frequent contributor to UCB Europe, a British Christian radio station.

** You may republish this story with proper attribution.