Is it a Worthwhile Fight?

This is a question we often hear when visitors are with us in Pattaya, Thailand or when they hear about the sheer number of those exploited in this city... According to local government officials there are over 20,000 bars operating as brothels in Pattaya with an estimated 200,000 - 300,000 people exploited in the city's notorious sex industry. It's true that this is a daunting reality. It's true that this can be overwhelming. However, that emotion of dread quickly fades when our perspective moves from helping "them" to supporting "our friend." When the women is a person we have a healthy relationship with instead of a faceless statistic on a chart, it is much easier to stay motivated in our work. It's only then that we're able to look past the pervasive evil and celebrate the opportunities for hope!

A Story of New Beginnings from the Pattaya Freedom Center Team

Last week, our outreach staff met “A”. She recently came to Pattaya and began working in a bar with her cousin. While she knows working in the bar isn’t the best for her, she is optimistic about her new start. Why? Because for her, Pattaya is the place she escaped to after 7 years in an abusive marriage. Originally from the North Eastern province of Buri Ram, “A's” husband took her from her young child and mom and moved them to Rayong (a seaside province not far from Pattaya). She worked all day in construction for very little pay and was assaulted every night by her husband. After 7 years of this abuse, “A” summoned the courage to escape. She ran away from her husband with only 700 baht ($20), spending half of it on taxi fare to Pattaya. Her only opportunity for employment was in the bar her cousin was working in, and so she transitioned from one form of abuse to another.

A’s story is not unique. Many of the women we meet have come to Pattaya to escape domestic violence. They have had their self-worth whittled down over the years by abusive families and boyfriends. Freedom from the sex industry means nothing to them if it requires them to return to the life they lived before. Finding ways to help women like “A" is difficult, time-consuming, and non-linear. But we are hopeful. We hope that as we continue to engage with her, we will be able to stoke the embers of value in her heart. It is through the staff and programming at our Pattaya Freedom Center that we are able to offer her practical opportunities that will support her journey to finally finding freedom from all forms of abuse. This is only the beginning of A's story of freedom and we celebrate that with her!

When donating to a cause as complex as human trafficking, it’s hard to know that your generosity is actually going to make a difference in the lives of those who need it most. Not Abandoned empowers freedom for exploited women in the darkest places around the world, so that your donations actually change the destiny of a woman’s life.