Legal Services

LSCW provides the following legal services to children and women free of charge for both criminal and civil cases:

• Legal court representation, including research, investigation and preparation of cases to bring for prosecution
• General legal consulting and assistance
• Legal training to communities and local authorities
• Legal awareness-raising throughout the country
• Publishing and awareness-raising of international and national laws
• Research and analysis on the rights of children and women
• Recommendations to government officials and stakeholders
• Networking with relevant ministries, international organisations and other NGOs
• Referrals for victims of domestic violence and human trafficking to appropriate shelters

LSCW has one office in Phnom Penh and as set up offices in Koh Kong and Prey Veng provinces. LSCW has also set up in Phnom Penh a mobile team of lawyers to cover areas surrounding the capital, and parts of Koh Kong and Prey Veng not within easy reach of the offices themselves.

• improving legal protection and assistance through a transparent system;
• encouraging victims to make an informed choice as to whether they pursue legal proceedings;
• setting in place a communications and referrals mechanism;
• increasing the conviction rate of known perpetrators;
• cooperating with law enforcement agencies;
• strengthening networks with local/international organisations as well as governmental ministries concerned and local authorities;
• facilitating the process of increased knowledge and understanding regarding the legal issues for women and children in the region;
• ensuring the protection and enforcement of minimum labour standards for women and children in the target areas.

Koh Kong and Prey Veng provinces constitute a gap area in assistance to victims of trafficking and abuse. LSCW wants to assist in this area where little NGO coverage and support is present. In terms of trafficking, a major route leads from Prey Veng province, through Phnom Penh to Koh Kong, and cross border to Trad province in southern eastern Thailand.

Route from Prey Veng to Koh Kong and to Trad province in Thailand

Research carried out in Koh Kong province by LSCW has uncovered: women and girls being internally trafficked from to brothels and karaoke bars; cross-border trafficking of women and girls to Thailand; labour exploitation and lack of labour rights or registration for women/girls involved in the sex industry; debt bondage of girls to brothel owners; rape and abuse as an increasing phenomenon in the province in many remote locations.

Meanwhile, information on Prey Veng has revealed that this constitutes a major source province for trafficking of girls to Phnom Penh and thereafter to Koh Kong and other destination provinces/countries. In Prey Veng province, there are few opportunities for women and children. Meanwhile, rape and abuse are also on the increase.