Recognition for Somaly Mam

You may recall that I highlighted the incredible work being done by one of Cambodia's very own heroines' Somaly Mam in a blog post in May. If you don't, click here. I desperately want to get hold of her book released earlier this year but its not been published in English so far. The latest news is that Somaly Mam was yesterday awarded a prestigious Woman of the Year Award by the US magazine Glamour at a ceremony in New York. The statement from Glamour reads: "Somaly Mam is an inspiration to women around the world. She overcame horrific childhood abuse and has devoted her life to rescuing other girls from similar fates. She's bringing the issue of sexual slavery to the attention of the world, thus giving the hundreds of thousands of children who are currently enslaved in brothels a real shot at a better life." Deserved praise and a deserved award, which is given each year to 'gutsy female leaders in their field who inspire us all'. The story of Somaly's work is told in this Glamour article, though be warned, the story has a real sting in it. Below is a photo of Somaly Mam, right, and a girl she saved from sexual slavery accepting the award at the 2006 ceremony in New York.