Srey Mao’s Story

One client’s journey from childhood abuse to confident young woman

A Cambodian Centre for the Protection of Children’s Rights Case Study

When Srey Mao was very

young, her parents got divorced.

She went to live with her mother and stepfather.

Her stepfather

was a gambling

alcoholic who didn’t work.

One day when Srey Mao was 13, her stepfather took her to the forest, saying they were going turtle

hunting. Instead, he raped her, and threatened to kill her and her mother if she told anyone.

Frightened, she agreed.

He raped her continually until one day, unable to continue with this suffering, she told her mother the truth. But her mother refused to believe her, and Srey Mao felt

even worse.

One day Srey Mao fell pregnant. Her stepfather was forced to confess. Her mother was horrified,

and sought help from an uncle.

The uncle took Srey Mao to the Cambodian

Women’s Crisis Centre.

After her time there, she moved to the

Cambodian Center for the Protection of Children’s Rights.

When she first arrived at CCPCR, Srey Mao said she felt that there was no purpose to

her being alive.

Yet after many months of

counselling and rehabilitation at

CCPCR, Srey Mao began to feel

better.

She joined activities at the

shelter, like dance, art therapy, and

group counselling.

She made friends, and

with encouragement

from CCPCR, she became

more and more confident in

herself.

After completing vocational training in sewing, and doing reconciliation with her father, Srey Mao moved back to her community and started her own sewing business!

“Now I know the importance of my life. It is incredible to me that life can brighten and shine like the sun. Based on my life plan for the next 5 years I must become a professional tailor and improve the situation of my family. I am determined to build up

my life from dark to bright and hopefully get successful in the next 5 years.”

Prepared for the Cambodian Center for the Protection of Children’s Rights by Village Focus International

To learn more about CCPCR, please visit www.ccpcr.org.kh

To learn more about Village Focus International (VFI), please visit www.villagefocus.org

To learn more about VFI’s support to CCPCR, please visit www.bike4kids.org, home of the annual Angkor Wat Bike4Kids! charity

fundraiser benefitting CCPCR and others