"There is Always Violence": An Exploratory Study of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Street-Involved Children

Author: Davis, Jarrett; Miles, Glenn; Blackburn, Sean & Mosebach-Kornelsen, Erika

Abstract: As the economic center of Cambodia, Phnom Penh has long been a hotspot for street-involved children and families. While violence is a common facet of life on the street, risk and vulnerability among children is notoriously difficult to measure. Most large-scale surveys tend to sample children within homes and schools, which overlook street-involved children who are commonly unregistered, irregularly attend school, and live outside of houses. This research paper is one of a series of studies on such groups in Southeast Asia. The study conducted 94 semi-structured interviews with street-involved children eight to 18 years of age in Phnom Penh. Physical violence is indicated by the vast majority (77%) of respondents, with significant rates of violence from parents and teachers. Sexual violence is also common, reported by one-in-four (25%), and nearly twice as prevalent among males. As an exploratory study, this research aims to provide a resource for local practitioners and policymakers, and to inform future research.

Keywords: Cambodia, children, youth, physical violence, street children, sexual violence, sexual exploitation, child abuse, child labor exploitation