19-Sep-2016
Publication : Press Release
The Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) announces that it will hold a press conference at 8.30am on Wednesday 21 September 2016 at CCHR’s office to mark the launch of a new research report entitled Discrimination Against Transgender Women in Cambodia’s Urban Centers (the Report).The Report is based on the findings of CCHR’s field research, collected through 135 surveys conducted in April 2016 in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Preah Sihanouk and Battambang provinces. The survey asked respondents about their experiences and perceptions of discrimination based on their gender identity / expression, both from state (e.g. police, local authorities and schools) and non-state (e.g. family, employment, relationships) actors. The report also analyzes the legal, social and cultural context in which Cambodia’s trans women live.CCHR’s research reveals that Cambodian trans women are subject to shockingly high levels of discrimination in many areas of their lives. Nearly all of the trans women surveyed by CCHR experienced some kind of harassment while in public spaces because of their trans identities, in most cases multiple times over the past 12 months. This proportion of respondents who had experienced verbal abuse, physical violence, sexual assault and rape in public spaces because of their trans identities is truly shocking and shows that Cambodian streets are alarmingly unsafe spaces for trans women. Discrimination in employment is another serious issue uncovered by this research, with large numbers of respondents reporting being refused employment, and many more reporting dismissal from employment, due to their trans identities.
Information Source : CCHR press conference to launch research report entitled “Discrimination Against Transgender Women in Cambodia’s Urban Centers”