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Bopha

2015 (Narrative date)

The internal migration of Chinese people seeking work has created an opportunity for human traffickers in China. Moreover the gender imbalance caused by the One Child Policy and the cultural preference for male children, has caused a shortage of women which has led to the trafficking of women to be sold as brides. As a result many women find themselves either deceived by promises of employment, sold or abducted and forced into marrying Chinese men who have paid for them. The prevalence of poverty in China makes the poor more vulnerable to enslavement. With the National Bureau of Statistics estimating that 70,170,000 are still living in poverty, people are more desperate and thus more likely to be receptive to fraudulent job offers.

Bopha  left her factory job in Phnom Penh when she was told she could find work with a high salary in China. However, upon arrival Bopha was taken to the Bride Market and sold to a man with mental health issues.

https://www.rfa.org/english/video?v=1_t9bid9la

 

She described the job for me working in China to earn a high salary, so I volunteered to go with her.

There were men, old men, coming to talk with them. I was sold first. Perhaps he was crazy. He is a man whose brain has a problem. Although he is crazy, they bought me to live with him and produce grandchildren. To replace the amount they paid for me.

They ask the women here to have sex with them, those who say no are kept there for a long time doing laundry and cooking for them. Then they ask our families to send money to pay for our passports and expired visas, but the price they ask is extremely high, much higher than the actual fee.

 

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