AsiaLIFE

How do you attack the pervasive problem of exploitation in Cambodia?  It is a question Steve Morrish, Executive Director of SISHA, must ask himself every day.  The answer: help one victim at a time. Words by Craig Gerard.

“It’s a common misconception that all we do is hunt down Western paedophiles,” explains Steve Morris, the founder and executive director of SISHA, a Cambodian NGO that fights against human trafficking and exploitation.  “Westerners only account for about 5% of our case loads.”  While Steve admits the barangs tend to be higher profile cases, the vast majority of the criminals they are chasing are Cambodians. This is just one reason Steve is the only westerner in SISHA’s staff of 25 people.

A former policeman, Steve spent ten years working on trafficking, narcotics and gangs in Melbourne, Australia.  His story is not uncommon in the Penh – he came here on vacation in 2004 to visit some friends.  Doing some research into his industry, he didn’t like what he was seeing, especially how the victims were treated after they were released.  He saw there was a niche in the field for someone with his skill set.  It took a little while to get organized and get their legal footing in Australia, but he opened SISHA’s doors in Phnom Penh in June of 2007.

Since that time, SISHA has been working to put a stop to exploitation in Cambodia.  Exploitation takes many forms in Cambodia and effects men, women and children.  It can be forced prostitution, bonded labour, transporting people across borders, or rape. SISHA focuses their efforts in four areas: investigations, aftercare, legal support, and capacity building. 

SISHA investigates all leads they receive.  Some come directly from police, others come from their anonymous hotline or the “Report Abuse” button on their website.  Once a credible lead is established, SISHA will set up a surveillance team to gather evidence.  The investigations usually take substantial time and energy, and are not always fruitful.  If illegal activity is found, the organization works with the local police to organize a raid and make arrests.

However, just stopping the criminals is not enough.  Successful raids usually turn up a handful of men, women or children, all of whom have been put in extremely vulnerable situations.  If the victims are released without proper care and oversight, they have a difficult time rehabilitating back into society.  That’s why SISHA spends a lot of time working with victims through their aftercare program. The aftercare covers every aspect of rebuilding the victims’ lives, from giving them a new set of clothes, to offering counselling sessions, to finding an action plan that meets their best interests. Sometimes that means going home and other times it means moving to an aftercare centre.  In every case, the individual’s needs and desires are assessed. 

Reliving their exploitation experience during the police prosecution and subsequent court case can also be frightening.  SISHA provides legal assistance to victims throughout the process.  According to Steve, only about 15 - 20% of the victims want to pursue legal action on their own.  The remainder still must work with the police in the follow on investigations, and SISHA is there to guide them through the process.  Backed by international law firm Baker & McKenzie, they receive sound legal advice both for their cases in Cambodia as well as making sure they comply with legal regulations in Australia, where the NGO is registered. 

So who are these criminals and where do they work?  “It’s the mama-sans and the pimps working in karaoke bars, brothels, and massage parlours all over the country,” Steve says, which is why SISHA has set up trainings for the police in provinces across Cambodia.  The organization leads six Criminal Investigation trainings a year. Their goal is to train as many police as possible, since those are the people on the front lines of investigations. The training takes the best practices of the Australian police forces and the FBI, and puts them into a two-week intensive course.  This capacity building measure is just a fraction of the work that SISHA does with local police.  “They have been great to work with,” Steve claims. “We have a very good relationship with the police, and we could not do our work without them.”

Anyone can report abuse using the anonymous hotline number 012 382 877, or by clicking the “Report Abuse” button at www.sisha.org. While their battle may seem like an uphill one, Steve seems to go on with endless energy, taking it one case or one training at a time.  In the three short years since the organization opened, they have made substantial strides in building police capacity and helping the lives of victims of exploitation.  His confidence is contagious and it provides hope. He says, “If it can’t be resolved by us or by the police, it can’t be resolved by anyone.”