PROTECTING CHILDREN AT RISK
AND ASSISTING VICTIMS OF SEXUAL
ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION
IN CAMBODIA
2014 Project Proposal
Submitted by:
Action Pour Les Enfants [APLE]
Duan Penh District, Phnom Penh
Tel.: +855 23 996 351
Contact Person: Mr. Seila Samleang, Country Director
Email: director@aplecambodia.org
Submitted to:
New Day Asia Limited
3rd Floor, Block D, Scenic Villas, Victoria Road. Pokfulam, Hong Kong
Phone: +852-9191-2710
Contact Person: Liza Green
Email: liza@newday.org
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Project Title
Protecting Children at Risk and Victims of Sexual Abuse and
Exploitation in Cambodia
Target Area
Cambodia (nation-wide)
Direct Beneficiaries
Approximately: 213 victims; 156 family members; 45 witnesses; and
50 vulnerable children
Estimated Start Date
01 January to 31 December 2014
Total Projected Cost
$422,225.03 USD
Requested Amount
$28,731 USD
The proposed project arises out of a continuing need to combat child sexual abuse and
exploitation in Cambodia and to ensure assistance and justice for those affected by victimization.
Since 2003, Action Pour Les Enfants [APLE] has been invaluable to society; sadly, sexual abuse
and exploitation still occurs and thus APLE is still needed. In 2013, we underwent a restructure
that involved the launch of a mobile investigations unit and the expansion of service provision
across Cambodia. We are very excited about the amalgamation of our offices and the opportunity
for our donors to support this expansion by funding APLE as a whole.
In 2014, the Investigative Department aims to investigate 90 cases of suspicious behaviour,
referring 72 of these with solid evidence to the police. Through this, we hope to rescue 125
victims and arrest 50 suspects. The Legal Department aims to provide pro bono legal aid to over
213 direct beneficiaries and ensure the convictions of 40 perpetrators. The legal team will also
advocate for victim compensation, deportation of foreign perpetrators, and child-sensitive
procedures. The Social Department intends to counsel over 213 direct beneficiaries, assisting
them with safe and secure alternative housing and medical care where needed. The department
also aims to support 156 families, 45 witnesses and 50 vulnerable children. Finally, the
Awareness and Training Department has a busy schedule with 22 awareness-raising activities,
6 workshops, and 12 trainings planned, reaching over 2000 participants.
If all that wasn’t enough, APLE has also decided it is time to rebrand itself. In 1994, when it was
originally founded in France, the aim of APLE was to assist in funding an orphanage in India. Nine
years later, APLE and Global Humanitaria-Spain launched the PROTECT Project in Cambodia to
combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. For the past ten years, APLE’s logo has been a
testament to that early formation – with India still in the background. However, after years of
operating in Cambodia and plans to continue for as long as necessary, we have decided it is time
to rebrand ourselves. We hope this will increase brand recognition both domestically and
globally, as well as bring the logo more in line with the reality of APLE in Cambodia.
With all these activities going on, 2014 is shaping up to be a busy year for APLE! We hope you will
help make our goals a reality by funding this project.
1. SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS
1.1 OVERVIEW OF APLE
Name
Action Pour Les Enfants (APLE)
Date of
Establishment
January 2003
Scope
Cambodia (nation-wide)
Size
43 staff
Key Goals
 Prevent child sexual abuse and exploitation through awareness, education and
dissemination of knowledge
 Protect children at risk and victims of sexual abuse and exploitation through rescue
and provision of social and legal services
 Promote prosecution of all offenders by closely collaborating with law enforcement
APLE has been active in Cambodia since 2003, when the PROTECT Project was launched in
partnership with Global Humanitaria-Spain and the Phnom Penh office was established. APLE is
the only non-governmental organization [NGO] specialized in street-based child sexual abuse and
exploitation in Cambodia, making us invaluable experts in this field. APLE has 43 dedicated staff
whose skills range from lawyers to social workers, investigators to project managers. To date,
APLE has assisted in the arrest of 272 suspects and rescued 608 victims from further abuse. Our
vision is freedom from sexual abuse and exploitation for all children and our mission is to reduce
all forms of child sexual abuse and exploitation through prevention, protection, promotion of
prosecution, and advocacy. We do this through four interconnected operations departments.
The Investigative Department conducts proactive investigations and monitoring of the situation
on the streets and responds to reports of suspicious behaviour, which aims to rescue victims and
bring perpetrators to legal account. In 2012, APLE opened 70 cases, which led to 29 arrests and
118 victims rescued. Since 2003, APLE has initiated 475 cases that have led to 272 arrests. APLE
investigators also liaise with both foreign and national law enforcement, referring 81 cases to
national police and 20 to foreign police in 2012. APLE’s Legal Department provides pro bono
legal aid to those affected by victimization. To date, APLE lawyers have represented 547 victims;
193 in 2012 alone. Legal representation was also provided to 88 family members, 39 vulnerable
children, and 8 witnesses in 2012. Several victims stated they would not have filed a complaint
without APLE’s help, illustrating the ongoing need for our legal aid.
APLE’s Social Department helps with a wide range of needs: medical examinations and/or care;
shelter placements; welfare support; counselling; and assistance with reintegration. Since 2003,
614 victims received social support, 244 in 2012. APLE also provides social support to vulnerable
children, witnesses and family members, reaching 156, 4, and 152 respectively in 2012. The
Awareness and Training Department organizes trainings, awareness raising events, and
workshops. To date, APLE has organized 178 events for 8833 participants. We believe a bettereducated population will reduce instances of abuse and increase reports of suspicious behaviour.
1.1.1 CONTINUITY OF SERVICE
APLE’s activities are divided into departments; however, each department is inextricably linked
to the others. The departments function as an interconnected and interdependent unit whereby
APLE provides continuity of service to those affected by victimization. Continuity of service is
highlighted by several organisations, such as World Health Organisation and United Nations, as
key to helping victims overcome trauma and heal in a positive way. In 2003, APLE carried out
only investigative and legal services; however, staff quickly recognised the need for social
services as well to provide immediate counselling to victims. After conducting informal
awareness raising and training activities for years, this department was formalized in 2011,
completely APLE’s continuity of service cycle. Now, APLE provides holistic services to
communities and those affected by abuse. The interconnected departments complement each
other and provide a safe environment in which the victim is able to develop a bond with their
service provider and feel safe, secure, and cared for. The cycle of service provision is presented
below.
Desire for prevention
Awareness
and Training
Informants  Reactive cases
Proactive cases
Investigations
Social Support
Legal Aid
Trauma
Rescues and Arrests
1.2 CONTEXT ANALYSIS
Sexual abuse and exploitation of children is not new to Cambodia; neither is legislation against it.
There are several laws, policies, and sub-decrees in place; however, understanding and
compliance are often low. Additionally, initiatives by the Royal Government of Cambodia and
NGOs have not been well coordinated or integrated into existing systems. This results in a
disjointed multitude of ideas, laws, and actions that leave many Cambodians confused and allow
perpetrators to escape through loopholes. Despite a recent increase in convictions, Cambodian
laws are often insufficient, illogical, and inconsistent. For example, deportation is currently
mandated at the judge’s discretion. Many convicted foreigners are able to stay in Cambodia after
serving their sentence, possibly even moving back into the community where the abuse occurred
in the first place. Therefore, while the legal situation is changing, the underlying issues remain
and the judicial system continues to allow too many perpetrators to go free.
Sexual activities with those under the age of consent (15 years old) are clearly defined as a felony
in Cambodian law1. While human labour and sex trafficking have gained attention in recent
decades, there is less global notice paid to street-based child sexual abuse2 committed by locals
See Article 42 and 43 of the Law on Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation (2007)
Street-based child sexual abuse and exploitation is “generally facilitated personally by the sex offender,
who approaches children directly on the streets, beaches, markets or other public areas in order to
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2
and foreigners. In Cambodia, ongoing poverty, corruption, an unwilling justice system, lack of
education, and confusing legal procedures continue to foster a vulnerable environment for
children. In combination with this, the rapid growth of tourism over the last decade has increased
the presence of traveling sex offenders in Cambodia3. These offenders take advantage of the
aforementioned problems to abuse and exploit children without repercussions. In some cases,
arrested perpetrators evade conviction by bribing victims or their families to drop complaints,
which has led to a culture of impunity for those who can ‘afford it’.
On the other side of the spectrum are the victims. Victimization is a degrading experience that
diminishes self-confidence, aspirations, and even lives. It corrodes family relationships,
community life, and national integrity. In Cambodia, many victims come from poor, uneducated
backgrounds and find the post-arrest experience intimidating and hard to understand. From the
moment police intervene to appearing at the trial, where many victims see their tormentor again
and have to testify, it can be very overwhelming. Many child victims express trauma due to the
postponement of trials, aggressive questions, non child-friendly and sensitive procedures, and
accusations from defense lawyers, having to repeat their story to multiple officials, testifying in
public, and coercive questioning techniques. On top of this, distrust of the judicial system, due to
ongoing corruption and lengthy trials, leads many to either avoid reporting abuse initially or
withdrawing their complaint prior to final sentencing.
2. PROJECT STAKEHOLDERS
2.1 BENEFICIARIES
The proposed project aims to help over 2464 beneficiaries in 2014. These can be divided into
direct and indirect beneficiaries for a more comprehensive understanding.
Direct beneficiaries are those who receive support services, such as legal aid or social support,
from APLE. We have four types of direct beneficiaries:
1. Victims are children under the age of 18 who were sexually abused or exploited by a
suspect and received either social or legal support from APLE.
2. Vulnerable children are the children that are at risk or in contact with or targeted by a
suspect or previously convicted offender or are living or working in close proximity to
such a person, but have not yet been abused by them.
3. Witnesses are children or adults who saw the abuse occur or can confirm the allegations of
abuse through disclosure from the perpetrator.
4. Family members are the blood relatives or court-appointed guardians of a victim, witness,
or vulnerable child who receive social or legal support from APLE.
In 2014, we aim to assist approximately 213 victims, 156 families, 45 witnesses, and 50
vulnerable children. Overall, we will reach 464 direct beneficiaries with the proposed project.
Indirect beneficiaries are those who attend awareness raising activities, workshops, and/or
trainings and therefore benefit via increased knowledge and skills to recognize and report abuse.
commence a sexual relationship with them”. It is most commonly perpetrated by travelling sex offenders.
Grillot, C. (2005). Street Pedophilia in Cambodia – A survey on Phnom Penh’s suspects and victims.
3 United States of America: Department of State. (2013). 2013 Trafficking in Persons Report: Country
Narratives. Available at: www.state.gov/documents/organization/210738.pdf
APLE organizes activities with a wide variety of people, such as community members, law
enforcement, local and international NGOs, tuk-tuk drivers, doctors, judges, and hotel staff. The
project has the ambitious target of reaching over 2000 indirect beneficiaries next year.
2.2 IMPLEMENTERS
APLE is the primary implementer, responsible for initiating, executing, monitoring, and
evaluating the project. In addition to APLE, a multitude of partner NGOs will assist in the
implementation. For example, victims in need of alternative housing will be referred to a
reputable and safe shelter, run by another NGO, who will assist in the rehabilitation and
reintegration process. In another example, other NGOs that receive reports of child sexual abuse
will refer these to APLE. This mutual referral system enables APLE and partner NGOs to
strengthen the protection of children and prevention of violence in Cambodia. Currently, APLE
has approximately 15-20 NGOs that we partner with on a regular basis, mostly via referrals.
2.3 FINANCIERS
In 2013, APLE was funded by 10 generous organizations, which enabled us to accomplish another
year of protecting children, assisting victims, and promoting the prosecution of offenders. Our
financiers included our partner, Global Humanitaria-Spain, who continues to support our efforts
to combat child sexual exploitation. Terre des Hommes Netherlands, ADM Capital Foundation and
New Day Asia were also key donors who continue to support us year after year. APLE is grateful
to all other donors: Stop Exploitation Now, Swiss Embassy Bangkok, To Holding As, Acting for Life
International, World Vision Cambodia, and Table de Cana. The support we received from each
organization has been inspiring and empowered APLE to keep achieving successes. We hope we
are lucky enough to receive the same support in 2014 and are able to continue and expand our
activities.
3. PROBLEM ANALYSIS
The Khmer Rouge’s brutal genocide ended in 1979, when Vietnam invaded Cambodia; however,
the consequences reverberated for years after and the rebuilding process is still underway today.
Cambodia has come a long way in the past 35 years; nevertheless, there is still a long way to go.
Corruption plagues many official bodies, particularly the judiciary, and civil distrust of authorities
remains high4. Poverty is ever-present with 22.8% of the population living on less than $1.25 per
day5. Combine this with the rise of tourism and a dangerous environment is created in which
criminals can exploit the poverty and vulnerability of locals and bribe officials to avoid capture. In
the specific context of child sexual abuse and exploitation, there are four areas of concern.
Firstly, Cambodian law enforcement does not actively combat abuse. The Cambodian National
Police [CNP] rarely conduct proactive investigations; instead, they act reactively, investigating
only once a victim complains of abuse. The use of grooming techniques, whereby the child and/or
their family benefits materially – often financially – in exchange for abuse, makes it unlikely that
Cambodia ranks 157 out of 176 countries on the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions
Index 2012. The judiciary, closely followed by the police, is the institution perceived to be most affected by
corruption. (Available at: www.transparency.org/country#KHM)
5 UNDP International Human Development Indicators. (2012). Available at:
hdrstats.undp.org/en/indicators/38906.html
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the victim will file a complaint. Additionally, more offenders seek work in schools, orphanages, or
NGOs that will give them unsupervised access to and power over children and their families.
Offenders prey on the poverty and vulnerability of children, often using money to ensure silence
and financial dependence. Moreover, precedence limits the police.
Though not explicitly prohibited by Cambodian law, undercover evidence collection
operations in human trafficking [and abuse] cases have been deemed illegal by
Cambodian judges in recent years… [C]hild sex traffickers’ methods have become
increasingly sophisticated and difficult to detect, making proactive and undercover
investigation necessary for collecting sufficient evidence and building cases6.
As a result of these factors, the CNP needs assistance in cases where grooming techniques are
used and victims are unable or unwilling to report the abuse.
Secondly, corruption and high costs in the judiciary are pervasive problems. As mentioned above,
the judiciary is seen as the most corrupt institution in Cambodia; on a scale 1 (not at all corrupt)
to 5 (extremely corrupt), the judiciary was rated a 4. Individuals navigating the court process not
only find it confusing, but also encounter ‘fees’ that make the process hard to afford. On top of
bribery, the general costs associated with court are prohibitive for many. Lawyer fees alone can
range from $500 to $2000 – this does not include transportation, time off work, and other
associated costs; the GDP per capita (current USD) is $9467. Additionally, the victims and families
who financially benefited from the offender may be reluctant to testify against him or her. Courtordered compensation for victims may be too low and/or take too long to receive, which leaves
time for the offender to bribe the victim or family into silence. Without this crucial testimony, the
offender will likely be released and continue to abuse children.
Thirdly, victims experience not only physical trauma, but also emotional trauma due to the abuse
and cultural taboos. Most victims come from poverty and thus need both immediate post-abuse
distress counselling and assistance finding other support, such as a safe shelter, medical care, and
material goods like clothes or shoes. Victims who are unable to access this sort of support often
cannot understand what has happened or may even blame themselves. Offenders prey upon the
poverty, illiteracy, and general lack of education of victims and their families. Sexual abuse, and
many other topics surrounding sex education, remains a taboo subject in Cambodia that is rarely
spoken about in public. Many Cambodians continue to believe that abuse does not occur in
Cambodia and therefore is not a problem that needs to be addressed. If these barriers are not
broken down and poverty addressed, the risk re-victimization is high.
Finally, there is lack of understanding and education surrounding sexual abuse. For instance,
many Cambodians do not believe that boys can be sexually abused; however, many offenders
prefer boys8. Offenders often groom not just the child, but also their family and possibly even
their community. As a result, many people surrounding the child like, trust, and/or benefit from
the offender and, if the child discloses the abuse, they may not believe or choose to ignore the
child. Some Cambodians recognize that abuse occurs, but rely too heavily on money from the
offender to file a complaint. According to a survey conducted in Sihanoukville, 40% of the
United States of America: Department of State. (2013). 2013 Trafficking in Persons Report: Country
Narratives. Available at: www.state.gov/documents/organization/210738.pdf
7 World Bank Data. (2012). Available at: data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD
6
Hilton, A. (2008). “I Thought it Could Never Happen to Boys”: Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Boys in
Cambodia, An Exploratory Study. Social Services of Cambodia for Hagar and World Vision.
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community members see APLE and other child protection NGOs as threats to their income. There
are very few programs working to change attitudes and increase knowledge of child sexual abuse
and exploitation; however, this is imperative in the effort to combat it.
Unrelated to the above trends, but a problem that has arisen over the past year, is the issue of
APLE’s logo. Currently, it is both out-dated and inaccurate. Unfortunately, we do not feel we
receive adequate brand recognition and are endeavouring to remedy this. We feel a logo change
will greatly benefit APLE and our work. The use of India in the background, with children running
across it is evidence of our early days. APLE was formed to help fund an orphanage in India, but
has evolved into much more than that. Now, we need a new logo that more accurately represents
our work in Cambodia and has greater brand recognition for APLE.
4. OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS
Once the key problems and the root causes had been identified, APLE set to work creating
objectives for the upcoming year. The overarching goal of APLE is to reduce all forms of sexual
abuse and exploitation through prevention, protection, promotion of prosecution, and partnership.
Following from this, the purpose for the proposed project is to enhance investigative, legal, and
social services for those affected by victimisation in Cambodia, as well as educate the community to
be aware and report suspicious behaviours. The outputs can be divided into five components, each
one integral to achieving the purpose next year and contributing to the overall goal. The
components seek to address and eliminate the problems outlined above.
Component One deals with the investigative services and has three outputs:
1. Conducted proactive and reactive investigations into suspected incidents of child sexual
abuse and exploitation.
2. Provided citizens with a mechanism to report suspicious behaviours to APLE.
3. Liaised with national and foreign police to facilitate information sharing, ensure rescues of
victims and arrest of suspects, and monitor compliance with standard operating procedures
(SoP).
Component Two is concerned with the legal department and outlines four outputs:
1. Provided pro bono legal services to those affected by victimization.
2. Facilitated discussion with and/or trained those involved in child protection and legal
proceedings on how to provide child-sensitive support and environments.
3. Ensured child-sensitive courtroom procedures were maintained.
4. Improved prosecution of criminals and strengthened national laws regarding child sexual
abuse and exploitation.
Component Three elaborates the three outputs for the social services:
1. Provided social services to those affected by victimization.
2. Referred those in need to the appropriate organization for provision of child-sensitive
services.
3. Followed-up with ongoing cases to assess the victim’s situation.
Component Four, the awareness and training sector, has four outputs:
1. Raised awareness across Cambodia about issues related with child sexual abuse and
exploitation.
2. Facilitated workshops for NGOs to share information and best practices.
3. Provided training to relevant parties in an effort to enhance protection of children and end
child sexual abuse and exploitation.
Component Five, lastly, is our marketing strategy, which consists of two outputs:
1. Developed a new brand
2. Launched the new brand
Carried out in tandem, we believe the aforementioned internal and external activities will
accomplish our purpose and make Cambodia a safer place for children. On a broad level, each
component has elements that will help in the achievement of prevention, protection, promotion
of prosecution, and partnership. Integrating these key principles into every department
guarantees a multi-faceted and holistic approach that will facilitate success in the coming years.
Please see Appendix One for the project log-frame.
5. PLAN OF ACTIVITIES
Based on the proposed log-frame, a preliminary schedule for the upcoming year was drafted. The
schedule includes all components, outputs, and associated activities that will be carried out in
2014. APLE is largely a service provision organization, thus many activities will be provided on a
continual basis. As you can see, it will be a busy year, but we are up for the challenge!
Please see Appendix Two for the activity plan.
6. RESOURCE PLANNING
Please see Appendix Three for the budget.
7. MONITORING AND EVALUATION
Monitoring and evaluation are crucial to measuring the effectiveness and efficiency of the project
interventions. Throughout 2014, APLE will conduct on-going internal and external monitoring to
ensure activities are carried out to the best of our ability and we are on track to meet our targets.
Two evaluations will also be conducted, an internal mid-term review and an ex-post facto
evaluation by an external consultant. The evaluations will measure both our expected and
unexpected successes throughout the project, as well as provide space for recommendations and
improvements for the following years.
Please see Appendix Four for a full monitoring and evaluation plan.
8. RISK ANALYSIS AND MANAGEMENT
At the outset of the project, various risks that might threaten the project’s success were identified.
Though this analysis is not exhaustive, we have tried to identify the most relevant and plausible
risks. Each of these risks was rated on scales of 1 to 5 for the probability of occurring and the
impact on the project if it occurs. All risks with total scores of 6 or greater were analysed further
and risk mitigation strategies were developed. The major risks and their management strategies
are briefly explored below.
There are two major risks that were identified through the risk analysis. Firstly, the risk that
serious security concerns arise due to threats. This could lead to direct threats to staff and/or
their families, an unsafe work environment, and the inability to carry out work. The Country
Director should monitor all threats and keep the staff informed about the safety plan and
proactive steps they can take to remain safe. The second major risk is that child sex offenders
develop more sophisticated methods. This would make offenders harder to detect and require
APLE to use more high-technology equipment and methods to monitor suspects. The
Investigation Manager should monitor the methods employed by offenders and adjust the
investigation methods and technology accordingly. Both these risks have a high probability; APLE
currently receives occasional threats and has witnessed a shift in offenders’ modus operandi in
recent years. Both also have a high impact; security threats would impede APLE work and
endanger employees while a change in methods would make it harder for APLE to remove
offenders from the community and keep children safe. Despite that, we feel the mitigation
strategies are appropriate and sufficient to ensure this risks will not hinder our ability to achieve
the project
Several other risks were identified and managed. Please see Appendix Five for the full risk
identification and risk management tables.
9. ANALYSIS OF ASSUMPTIONS
Out of necessity, several assumptions have been made in the formulation of this project proposal.
The assumptions have been analysed extensively; those considered serious threats have been
included in our risk analysis, while the others are treated as unavoidable assumptions. The
assumptions have been broken down into two levels – purpose and output – and are briefly
described below.
9.1 PURPOSE LEVEL
At this level, we assume that the political situation remains stable enough to allow APLE to
implement the project activities. Despite recent political instability, we believe that the Royal
Government of Cambodia remains committed to the fight to end child sexual abuse and
exploitation and thus this is not a risk to the project.
9.2 OUTPUT LEVEL
For each output, a corresponding assumption was defined. While it is not possible to include all
possibilities, the most influential assumptions were included. For the investigative department,
assumptions exist around a renewed MoU with the Ministry of Interior, an on-going commitment
of civilians to report abuse, and a strong partnership with the police. The assumptions for the
legal department entail those affected by victimization continue to access services, judicial
officials attend meetings and implement child-sensitive procedures, and the prioritization of child
protection by the Royal Government of Cambodia. Similarly, the social department assumes those
affected by victimization continue to access services, organizations continue to assist APLE, and
victims allow follow-ups from social workers. For awareness and training, we assume that
people will attend the events and increase their knowledge through them. Finally, the marketing
rests on the availability of human and material resources and both internal and external
excitement and positivity about a new brand. There are also wide variety of pre-conditions that
need to occur at the activity level in order to achieve the outputs and purpose. These can be found
in the log-frame (Appendix One).