Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1999. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
The Associated Press - Tuesday August 3, 1999
Chris Fontaine, Associated Press Writer
More than half of the 87 participants at a public forum last week debating the sex trade said they supported legalizing prostitution if it means tighter regulation. That included government officials, teachers, prostitutes and concerned citizens.
"Now, even though it is not legal, the authorities are not able to manage the problem," Chea Vannath, president of the Center for Social Development, an advocacy group that organized the forum, said Tuesday. "By legalizing it, supporters feel we can cut out some corruption."
The collapse of communism in the early 1990s ushered in a new democratic era in Cambodia, but along with a liberalized economy and society came an explosion in prostitution and HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
Clusters of brothels do steady business on Phnom Penh's side streets. About six miles north of the capital lies Svay Pak, an entire village of sex dens that is gaining fame among tourists.
Cambodian law prohibits prostitution, but police corruption keeps brothels open and the sale of females into prostitution continues unabated.
Prime Minister Hun Sen gave his government and police an ultimatum at a recent health conference: If prostitution cannot be stopped, then Cambodia must consider legalizing it, according to You Ay, secretary of state for women's affairs.
The Ministry of Women's Affairs does not support the change.
"The stance of the ministry is that we would like to strengthen and uphold the values of the Cambodian family in order to prevent prostitution and the trafficking of women and children," You Ay said.
Nearly half the 20,000 prostitutes in Cambodia are HIV positive, according to Health Ministry surveys. An estimated 150,000 Cambodians - 1.3 percent of the population - have contracted the virus.
You Ay said Cambodia may take a lesson from neighboring Thailand by tolerating prostitution and enforcing strict health standards while keeping it technically illegal.
Initiatives gaining broad-based support in Cambodia are those that duck the legalization issue while dealing with the HIV epidemic.
990803
AP990803
Copyright © 1999 - Associated Press. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the AP Permissions Desk.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Elton John AIDS Foundation, National Library of Medicine, Pacific Life Foundation, and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 1999. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 1999. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .