The Road Of Lost Innocence

Description

Somaly Mam was abandoned as a baby and looked after by her grandmother until she disappeared. She was then taken into the care of a man she called 'grandfather', but was treated no better than an unpaid servant. sold. Raped at twelve, Somaly was forced to marry at fifteen and then sold to a brothel. She endured years of abuse before managing to escape. The Road of Lost Innocence is a moving account of a traumatic childhood and also the inspirational story of a determined and courageous woman devoted to helping other girls caught up in the illegal sex trade and violent underworld in Cambodia. In 1997 Somaly Mam co-founded AFESIP to combat trafficking in women and children for sexual slavery.

Reviews

** 'This is a book about how one person's courage can make a difference' SUNDAY BUSINESS POST ** 'Written deftly and sparely, this story easily transcends the current rash of 'misery' life-stories. Somaly Mam has no truck with sensationalism or self pity: action for change is patently what she is all about.' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING ** 'There's a big difference between misery memoir and campaigning autobiography as this traumatic and brave account of Mam's abandonment into the Cambodian sex slave trade amply demonstrates.' SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY ** 'This activist's memoir, driven by a sense of purpose greater than the self, is related with a haunting directness, in a dignified translation from the original French by Lisa Appignanesi' GUARDIAN

Author description

Somaly Mam lives near Phnom Penh with her three children.