Commercials Show Kind Men, Good Beer Girls

Two commercials aimed at en­couraging women to choose the right wedding partner and teach men that beer promotion girls are not necessarily prostitutes have aired to good reviews on Cam­bo­dian television and radio stations.

Produced by the Cambodian Wo­­men’s Crisis Center in a bid to re­­­duce violence against women, the commercials debuted in mid-Jan­uary on Bayon, CTN, TV5 and TVK television channels and four radio stations, said CWCC Ex­ecutive Director Chanthol Oung.

In one advertisement, the story-line is simple: A Cam­bo­­dian girl faces the choice of marrying for money or wedding a man who is poor, but re­­spects his wife, Chan­thol Oung said.

One suitor hails from a rich family but becomes violent when with his friends. The second potential husband is poor, but hardworking and never violent to women. Asking advice from some high school friends, the girl decides it’s better to marry a peaceful man, Chanthol Oung said.

Chanthol Oung said she hoped the commercials “will reduce violence in Cambodia.”

Enjoying the advertisements and the idea of a girl torn between two lovers, Sao Sothy, 22, a student at the National Institute of Management, said she too would choose a non-violent spouse.

However Prum Lika, 19, a student at Wat Kos High School said the advertisements were good but a good man before marriage can become a tyrant after the wedding day.

Nhem Thavy, 17, also a Wat Kos student, said: “My brother-in-law used to be a good man, but he be­came a cruel man,” who drinks with his friends and hits his wife .

The second television spot features a beer promotion girl being pressured by a male customer to sell more than just her beer.

Resolution appears in the form of a second customer who points out to the amorous client that forcing a woman to have sex is illegal and he can be punished by law.

“Not all promotion girls are selling their body in exchange for mon­ey,” said Srey Mao, 19, a beer pro­­motion girl who said she hoped people get the message.

She said, “I can earn around $45 per month but I always have to suffer many bad words from men.”