Interview with Author/Activist Somaly Mam

[GeetarAdam]

I was also struck by the tenacity with which she held to her love. It would seem like that flame would've been extinguished by all she experienced, but it just goes to show that human dignity is not some man-made concept. It is created within each of us and is an in-born part of who we are. We humans are not mere animals. We are not just biological machines. Our true essence is spiritual and infinite!

[FatherImReady]

Somaly Mam is my hero.

[MrRodrifico]

A beautiful human being through and through! What a better world this would be if we had more people of this caliber!

[angel2geek]

I read her book not knowing what she looked like. She described herself as an ugly person with dark skin (because as she explains in the book, according to Cambodias social standard, the lighter your skin is the more beautiful you are). Now, I type her name on youtube and all I see is, is a gorgeous woman.

[Lan1998]

I met her at WPC and she was so nice!

[chiquita6905]

she is such a stong women. this book made me cry to see all the struggles tht she had 2 overcome and to me sshe has become a big role model.

[MissssParty24]

im writing a paper on her at the moment. its so touching to learn about her.

when i started the paper i had no idea who she was, what she did. now that i have researched more and figured it out, i realize that i have picked an AMAZING person to write my paper on.

bravo somaly mam, you are a great person.

[atozinco]

I really recommend that people read her book, "The Road of Lost Innocence". It describes her childhood, time in sex slavery, how she escaped, and how she started rescuing girls from sex slavery. The financial power of the brothel owners is huge; at one time in the book the brothel owners managed to bribe people to tell them where the secret shelter/home was, and broke in and recaptured "their" girls. How Somaly went to work the next day without despairing, I don't know.

[MzDayDreaMer]

@atozinco i'm reading the book rite now and it is juss so heartbreaking that one can go through so much in one lifetime. she is my idol and i am planning to go to cambodia and help those girls in any way possible.

[atozinco]

Somaly Mam is an incredibly strong, courageous, loving and wise woman. What she and her organisation is doing must take so much strength. She constantly impresses me. She doesn't seem to lose hope despite great obstacles/corruption - she just manages to keep pushing on.

[Shadowp03]

how can you donate to this without useing a creid card or becoming a member. cause i was thinking of going around town and getting donations and give information out. any ideas

[babypoo12345]

i read her book..

[asibancim]

Bravo Somaly mam .

[Chaplin8642]

I just finished reading her book. I still have tears in my eyes. It's a book that describes violence end inhumanity that goes beyound my wildest imagination. But it also shows a woman with such personal power that she despite of own suffering is able to help others. She is a living saint!!! Buy the book and suport her work!!

[WilliamKenower]

What impressed me most about Somaly when I interviewed her was her love. Not just for the girls, but her understanding that what the girls needed more than anything was love. Whatever anger she might have for the people who tortured her - I did not see it when I spoke to her.

[WyolaP]

@WilliamKenower Although Ive never work in the brothel but I would have been at 11/12yrs old along w/ tow siblings in Thailand, but my clever thinking to stall time and the love & determinations of my mother saved us and others too.

Myself, brother, and a 1 1/2yrs old sister that I carried on my back walking home on the afternoon that we were kidnap. We were thrown into the room full of others been there days prior to my arrival those who tried to escape were beaten so badly.

[WyolaP]

@WilliamKenower This burning flames have cast over the urgency to rescue and eliminate the cruel.

This is the fuel of determinations to spread love and compassions.

I shared the same pain of rape, abused, tortured, and starvations of all sorts....

[WyolaP]

@WilliamKenower Were not in it anymore but the pains still there.

Instead of hatred we brings/influence love.

the knowing hurts us every day in life.

The physical pains of blacks and blues had faded away...

The mental pains that I once knew never go away...

These pains are here to stay till angel close our eyes...

[WyolaP]

@WilliamKenower People like her and I have gone through so much pains.

Weve called for help but no one there do anything.

Weve cried for compassions but they thinks were crazy.

Weve learned to push our feeling aside like there is no one to talk to...

Weve learned to love like there is no one else to love...

Weve learned to live like there is no tomorrow...

Weve learned that life is a forever changing event...

Weve live it differently each & everyday that life gives us...

[WilliamKenower]

@WyolaP

Wyola:

The most profound thing Ms. Mam shared with me was her commitment to the concept of love. I could imagine no greater physical suffering than hers, and yet she remained committed to the healing power of love above all else. She lives with her suffering still, but she chooses to travel every day as best she can toward love. It is all any of us can do.

[WyolaP]

@WilliamKenower

hello william,

i know she is, i can see and feel the pain in her eyes....cause of the BAD things that happed to me 5yrs old till i was 9yrs old, and in thtat 4yrs all the nightmares from around the world came true on me. those bad things never break me instead it make me stronger.

thank you for your quik respond, Wyola

[CurdaLocA]

May God bless you Somaly Mam

You are a wonderful inspiration

[verastark]

Thankyou Somaly Mam for your lifesaving work!!

[vivienkhoo94]

whts the title of her book??....anyone can tell me??... i dont think its sold here in my country...

[WilliamKenower]

The book is called, "The Road of Lost Innocence." It is published by Spiegel & Grau in the U. S.

[vivienkhoo94]

too bad its not sold here in my country D=...

[AmericansSuckEggroll]

@vivienkhoo94 its called 'Road of Lost Innocence' :P buy it, just bought it today & it was sooooooooooooooo heart-pounding

[teamkvs]

was she ever featured in cnn hero?

[MightyScenester]

incredible woman

[melgrimes]

She is such an inspiration!

[thegrar]

Somaly! Her book is the saddest and most difficult thing I have ever read. As a man, I feel guilty and extremely angry that other men do this

They called her 'nobody' but she has so many fans around the world and 4,000 girls love her especially. A 'nobody' can't speak several languages like Somaly can!

They called her a 'savage' and said she was 'ugly' but the cowardly men were the savages. And there is NOTHING ugly about this amazing woman! Despite her past she has a truly beautiful face!

[WilliamKenower]

I would not feel guilty or angry. When I interviewed her she was quite clear that she did not want to spread any hatred toward the men who done what they had done. She wants to only spread love. This, above all else that she has done, was what impressed me the most about her.

[thegrar]

Yeah, you're right. Only positive energy can help the girls. Negative energy achieves nothing. She is a wonderful lady for taking this selfless point of view.

But with her story so fresh in my mind, I can't help being angry!

[bilstonjay]

God bless this woman. Such a terrible life and no hatred. Bless her soul and being.