Straight from Cambodia – Danielle along with Ashlee Larsen, a Brigham Young graduate student, is accompanying Stirring the Fire founder, Phil Borges as he documents the work of Cambodian Acid Survivors Charity.

Our team was able to do a few home visits of acid burn survivors. Though not at the center, these survivors still receive assistance from CASC such as medical check-ups, legal support (if they are pursuing their case in court), housing assistance and attendance at the 2-day long support group that happens every other month.

We drove outside of Phnom Penh’s dense core to an area that felt a touch more rural. There we bumped down some dirt roads and stopped at a home built of wood, with children running in and out and chickens squawking around.
Inside we met Sreyvy, 36, and her two children. She began to tell us her story but before we got very far, she firmly requested that we not photograph her kids because the assailant, till now, does not know what they look like. She felt having their pictures taken could create a safety concern and potentially put them at risk.

Sreyvy Crocheting – her Livelihood Sponsored by CASC

Backtrack to 2009. Sreyvy and her sister, Mae, are quite close. Mae happened to marry a man whose priorities seemed to include drinking a lot, squandering money and keeping his wife and kids under his control. Mae called her one day in 2009 very upset. She reported to Sreyvy that her husband had just sold their 2 year old daughter to a trafficking ring in order to buy a motorcycle.

Sreyvy was incensed and called the husband herself and told him to find his daughter and get her back. He remained silent on the phone, offering no response. For 3 months there was no communication then the death threats started coming.

One day she was working at her restaurant when he drove by on his new motorcycle and threw acid on her. In shock, and perhaps fearing for her life, she sought treatment in Vietnam for several months. When she returned to Cambodia her sister came to visit her. While Mae was visiting, her husband, the perpetrator, showed up and demanded that Mae leave with him or else he would burn down their home, which was actually Sreyvy’s property. To save the house and her sister, Mae left with him. Sreyvy has not seen her sister since, doesn’t know where she is, and has received only one secretive phone call early in 2011 with Mae’s whispering voice asking if Sreyvy was alright.

Sreyvy Crocheting, Phil Photographing

Sreyvy has been widowed for almost a decade and has been the primary breadwinner for her family. The acid attack left her thinking that she’d never be able to work again. Immediately after the attack she battled with thoughts of suicide. But since getting involved with CASC she is feeling more optimistic. There she has a community and is able to find social connection and acceptance. She regularly attends the support group. CASC has also helped her with employment – she crochets bags, purses and backpacks to sell and is quite successful doing so. She receives on-going medical support in the form of check-ups and is scheduled soon for a couple of surgeries to release contractures on her neck and on her blind eye.

Sreyvy Consoling another Survivor before her Court Case

Though her scars run heavy down her face, neck and arms she is gaining confidence in herself as a survivor. She is a powerful example, which we witnessed first hand the day we all went to court to hear the verdict of another survivor’s case. Sreyvy accompanied the other survivor on the long journey to the court and back (5 hours round trip), sat patiently with her as we waited for court to start, and stood confidently by her side while the verdict was read. She is using her situation to help others now thanks to CASC’s continuing support of her.

Ending Violence against Women – Acid Burns

Acid burning is one of the most extreme forms of violence that causes severe physical and psychological scarring, and social ostracism. The victims of acid violence, largely women and girls, are often left with limited access to medical or psychological assistance, no legal recourse, and no means of livelihood.

Acid Survivors Trust International (ASTI) is the only organization in the world focused on combating and eradicating acid burns violence at the international level. In Cambodia, ASTI partners with Cambodian Acid Survivors Charity (CASC) to provide vital services to survivors of acid burns violence. With support from the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women, ASTI and CASC assist women survivors of acid violence to receive justice and to rebuild their lives. The organizations also sensitize and empower local communities to stand up against acid violence.

The UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women, managed by UN Women, is a leading source of support for local and national efforts to end violence against women and girls. Join the UN Trust Fund in this vital work—for more information on how you can support the UN trust Fund click here.