My mom sold my virginity when I was 12: Teenager’s firsthand experience reveals the horrors of the sex trade in Cambodia

While her case may seem dire, Keo is just one of thousands of Cambodian girls whose virginity is sold each year – mostly to prominent politicians and policeman, the only men rich enough to afford it.

Indeed, destitute families typically receive around $1,500 to sell a daughter’s virginity, which is equivalent to four years’ salary. Rotana was so desperate, however, she accepted just $500.

Vannith Uy, 41, worked for years as a cook at a beer garden, where young hostesses in revealing clothes attract men looking for virgins to sleep with.

Desperate for money, she sold her own daughter Chamnan Sok’s virginity when the girl was just 18, and she witnessed at least 50 young females working at the beer garden succumb to the same fate.

Despite the trauma these girls undoubtedly underwent, they don’t show any outward resentment towards her mothers. Indeed, Keo says only that she feels ‘sad’ about what happened to her.

‘Fear about my husband’s debts made me ill. Finally, I gave in and sold my daughter’s virginity’

(Firsthand experience: Vannity Uy holds a photo of herself (right) and her daughter Chamnan Sok, whose virginity she sold when the girl was 18. As a cook in a beer garden, she witnessed many of these transactions)

Her loyalty to Rotana is likely because of the attitude in Cambodia that ‘children exist for their parents’ benefit, not the other way around,’ says Nget Thy, executive director of the Cambodian Center for the Protection of Children’s Rights.

‘Children have a strong duty to pay back their parents for raising them,’ he adds. ‘The concept of child rights is very weak.’

But there are some organizations endeavoring to put an end to the vicious circle – like Riverkids, an NGO that teaches young girls skills like hairdressing and computers and encourages them to get jobs.

Rattana Chey, now 21, has Riverkids to thank for helping her escape trafficking after she discovered her mother wanted to sell her virginity when she was 15.

‘Riverkids offered my family rice in exchange for not selling me,’ she explained, adding that the organization also taught her how to sew and helped her mother set up her own food cart.

But in an impoverished country ruled by corrupted officials, many of whom are the ones perpetuating the virgin trade, it’s nearly impossible to eradicate it completely

‘There is an endless number of destitute families for the trade to prey on,’ explained Dr Chhiv Kek Pung, the president of  human rights organization Licadho. ‘And the rule of law is very weak.’

‘There is an endless number of destitute families for the trade to prey on, and the law is very weak’

Still, now that she’s the breadwinner in the family and has helped her two younger sisters avoid a tragic fate, Rattana has resolved to alter attitudes in Cambodia, one step at a time.

‘Thanks to my earning ability, I am the most powerful person in our family now,’ she states. ‘I am determined to break the pattern.’