Christian faith-based NGOs (CFBOs) are major players in caring for survivors, but public representation of female survivors can reinforce stigma and feelings of powerlessness among the women they aim to help. Interviews with CFBO representatives revealed perspectives attributing trafficking to cultural factors, parenting, and the Khmer Rouge legacy’s impact on families. However, these portrayals tend to be generalized rather than reflecting survivors’ individual experiences and neglect to address larger systemic inequities. Interviews with trafficking survivors were a sub-group of the Butterfly Longitudinal project. They found CFBO marketing, especially when identifying survivors, led to experiences of dishonor, lost agency over their stories, and increased societal stigma. Recommendations include CFBOs partnering with survivors on ethical representation, targeting messaging to local audiences to mobilize community-level change, and refraining from using rescue and slavery narratives. Faith-based NGOs have an opportunity and a responsibility to restore dignity and power to survivors in how their stories are shared.
Dr. Glenn Miles is the Senior Advisor for up! Collective and has conducted research with young people for over 20 years. He pioneered three international NGOs in Cambodia and before that was a pediatric nurse. He is a researcher, trainer, and advocate for children and vulnerable people.