About us
Action Pour Les Enfants (APLE) is an international non-governmental organisation (NGO) operating the ‘PROTECT’ project in Cambodia's three main tourist areas: Phnom Penh Sihanoukville and Siem Reap.
The PROTECT project was commenced in January 2003 in order to protect children from all forms of sexual exploitation. Since its inception, the project has focused on street-based child sexual exploitation.Child Sexual Exploitation in Cambodia usually occurs within one of two categories: establishment-based or street-based exploitation. Establishment-based child sexual exploitation is facilitated through established sex-houses, whilst street-based child sexual exploitation is facilitated personally by a child sex offender or intermediary who approaches children directly on the streets, beaches, markets or other public areas in order to commence a sexual relationship with them. The majority of perpetrators of this type of abuse are Western nationals, making APLE’s focus an international one. As the majority of civil society organizations working in Cambodia with respect to child sexual abuse focus on Cambodian perpetrators, the PROTECT project operates in a ‘niche market' within that civil society community.
APLE’s objectives include:
- Intervention and aftercare: To emancipate victims from child sexual abuse and reduce the effects of trauma caused by such abuse.
- Legal protection: To increase the level of access to legal protection afforded to victims of child sexual abuse
- Breaking the cycle: To lessen the likelihood of vulnerable children becoming victims, and victims becoming recurring victims through awareness and active social care
- Criminal accountability: To improve current conditions of impunity and legal accountability of child sex offenders in Cambodia through cooperation with Cambodian and international law enforcement officials and bodies and through awareness raising on child sexual abuse issue
Why is APLE based in Cambodia?
The aftermath of Cambodia’s brutal and bloody past continues to haunt the Southeast Asian country. Today it continues in its struggle to recover from the destruction of social, health, education and economic structures as a result of the Khmer Rouge era and years of civil war. Unfortunately, its fragile infrastructure and political instability creates an ideal environment for the abuse of human rights.
The number of tourists and foreign residents present in Cambodia (particularly in Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville) has increased exponentially over the last several years. As these numbers have increased, so too has the proportion of travelling sex offenders, who find Cambodia an attractive destination for the purpose of street-based child sexual exploitation for several reasons. First, a significant percentage of the population in Cambodia live below the poverty line[1] and as a result are more vulnerable to grooming [2] or offers of financial support and assistance in exchange for sexual favours. Second, as a result of this poverty, children are easily accessible in public places frequented by foreigners, begging, working in tourist-orientated family businesses, shoe-shining, collecting garbage and performing other labour activities. Third, a culture of impunity continues to pervade divisions of law enforcement and judicial agencies, and as a result the majority of foreigner-perpetrated child sexual-abuse crimes have remained unpunished and the perpetrators are free to continue their criminal actions without accountability. Furthermore, there has been a noticeable shift in destinations frequented by travelling child sex offenders in the Southeast Asian and consequently as certain countries for example, Thailand and the Philippines begin to take child sex offences more seriously, Cambodia has become a popular safe-haven.
Read the following cases which illustrate these problems:
* Names have been changed
Vichet* and Doeun’s* story
Meng’s* story
Sok’s* story
Pich’s* story
APLE history
APLE’s President visited Cambodia in the late 1990s and was astounded by the overtly present street-based child sexual abuse. Children were openly being groomed and in some instances, abused in public places. This problem was compounded by the gross inaction of the local authorities on such issues. Partnering with Global Humanitaria Spain, the PROTECT project was finally launched in January 2003 and has since grown from operations in Phnom Penh alone, to a second office in Sihanoukville, to a third office in Siem Reap and missions spanning Cambodia’s provinces.
APLE annual reports
APLE’s partners, co-operating bodies and donors
Founding Partner
Global Humanitaria:
APLE partnered with Global Humanitaria Spain in 2003 to establish PROTECT project and its operations in Cambodia. Up to date, Global Humanitaria continues to be an integral working partner and funds the majority of APLE’s activities.
APLE has formal agreements with
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Kingdom of Cambodia.
- The Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation of the Kingdom of Cambodia.
APLE works with
- The Cambodian National Police
- The United Kingdom Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP)
- The United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
- The German Federal Police-BKA
- Other International Policing Bodies
- Our Home, Cambodia
- World Hope International
- M’lop Tapang, Cambodia
- Village Focus International
- The End Child Prostitution, Pornography and Trafficking (ECPAT) International Network
- Other Local and International Organizations
Donors
THANK YOU...
APLE depends on the contributions from individual donors, foundations, companies and organisations. Our sincere thanks extend to everyone who has made protecting Cambodian children possible.
APLE particularly wishes to thank the following donors for their contribution to supporting PROTECT's operations:
Global Humanitaria-Spain
Terre Des Hommes-Netherlands
Microsoft Corporation
Nour Foundation
The British Embassy Phnom Penh
The Swiss Embassy Bangkok
Virtue Foundation
The Doshi Family
Stop Exploitation Now
Village Focus International
Mr. M. Gold
Canadians for the Expansion of Social Economics in Cambodia (CESEC)
Table de Cana
The Monkey Republic Bar and Guesthouse
Tan
Frederic Hughie
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