Rape Commercials Warn Against Bribery

Public service announcements encouraging rape victims to go to the hospital and urging their families not to accept compensation from rapists began airing on public and private television stations last week.

“All the stories that we have produced are based on true stories from Cambodian communities,” said Som Khemra, co-director of the TV department of the Wom­en’s Media Center, which made the short films. Two are currently airing, she said. She said more will be produced and the films will continue to air until the budget runs out. The films are funded by Ox­fam Nether­lands.

Currently, the 15-minute story of “Kantuoch Koun Pok,” which means “my little daughter,” is airing on TVK and TV3. It describes a sickly adult daughter who lives with her widowed father. One day he goes to the market and leaves the girl with her aunt. A male neighbor arrives at the house, asking the aunt to sew his clothes. When the aunt leaves, the neighbor, who says he has fallen in love with the girl, rapes her.

The father returns to find his daughter crying in her aunt’s arms. The aunt encourages her niece to go to the hospital. At first the victim refuses out of embarrassment, but agrees after her aunt tells her it is necessary in order to build a criminal case against the rapist.

After the rapist is arrested, his parents offer compensation to end the matter. The father refuses and tells the police to take the man to court.

“I decided to film this story be­cause it is a common story in Cambodia, and violent rape is be­coming more and more common,” Som Khemra said. She said the plot was based on a case in Kompong Chhnang province, and cost $3,000 to film.

“It is very important to change the attitudes of the community and encourage them to report to the police on rape issues,” said Mu Sochua, Minister of Women’s Af­fairs. “The victims’ families should encourage rape victims to speak out, and especially to go to the hospital for treatment and get certification from doctors that the victims were raped, because it can be used as evidence.”

Like many Phnom Penh residents who saw the announcements, Hong Y Muoy, 28, a hairdresser at Kandal Market, said she strongly supported the broadcast. She urged the government to punish rapists with jail time.

Menh Navy, advocacy manager of the NGO Gender and Devel­opment for Cambodia, said that only a few rape cases among hundreds have been solved, and most suspects on trial are poor.

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