How long does it take for to get JUSTICE?
For the past 3 years Panha* (17) has testified multiple times in a Thai court as the case kept being delayed and restarted. She was originally meant to testify in person but the pandemic prevented her from travelling to Thailand and she ended up testifying via video link. It has been stressful and traumatic reliving her abuse but her perpetrators have finally been convicted. We are awaiting the final part of the process, the announcement of the sentencing from the court next month.
Her story is both unusual and a story repeated regularly in the SHE Rescue Home. Panha’s* story is unusually as most trafficking and sexual assault cases never make it to trial. It is rare for perpetrators to ever be prosecuted or for girls to receive any public justice for what was done to them. Even with all of the support of the SHE Rescue Home a third of the girls' cases never make it to trial. When a case makes it to trial the process can take its toll on the girls with years of worry, fear and exhaustion from testifying in court.
We currently have 8 girls in the SHE Rescue Home who are at various stages of this process. Kanya* (20) and her family are exhausted and worn down after waiting 4 years for justice in a court case that has been appealed to the federal court due to abnormalities in the trial process. Romduol’s* (12) court case was due to start this month but the judge cancelled the court case at the last minute without any warning, proper notification or reason. Her lawyers are currently investigating what happened. Donate today to help us continue to fight for justice for these survivors.