Rape is rampant among women trafficked to scam compounds in Cambodia, according to an Amnesty International report that collected testimonies from victims, including Brazilian Cecília (a pseudonym). She was offered as a "prize" to a group of scammers who performed well in the criminal scheme. "It was like a prize for good work. He said I was like ‘a gift,’" she said. "They raped me." After her father sought information about her whereabouts from Brazilian police, Cecília was also beaten with a baseball bat.Other victims reported similar abuse: Indah (a pseudonym) was prevented from locking her bedroom door and raped by men during the early hours of the morning; two women said they were coerced into having sex with managers in exchange for protection. Ugandan national Kenyangi (a pseudonym) became pregnant after being forced to receive visits from a manager and witnessed the death of a friend who was also a victim of abuse.
Cambodian Information Minister Neth Pheaktra says the country recognizes that some people found during operations against scam compounds may be trafficking victims. They are assessed individually based on evidence, he said, and new guidelines have been issued to improve the identification and protection of such victims.
