The Road of Lost Innocence
By Somaly Mam & Ayaan Hirsi Ali
- Release Date: 2008-09-09
- Genre: Biographies & Memoirs
Description
A portion of the proceeds of this book will be donated to the Somaly Mam Foundation.
A riveting, raw, and beautiful memoir of tragedy and hope
Born in a village deep in the Cambodian forest, Somaly Mam was sold into sexual slavery by her grandfather when she was twelve years old. For the next decade she was shuttled through the brothels that make up the sprawling sex trade of Southeast Asia. Trapped in this dangerous and desperate world, she suffered the brutality and horrors of human trafficking—rape, torture, deprivation—until she managed to escape with the help of a French aid worker. Emboldened by her newfound freedom, education, and security, Somaly blossomed but remained haunted by the girls in the brothels she left behind.
Written in exquisite, spare, unflinching prose, The Road of Lost Innocence recounts the experiences of her early life and tells the story of her awakening as an activist and her harrowing and brave fight against the powerful and corrupt forces that steal the lives of these girls. She has orchestrated raids on brothels and rescued sex workers, some as young as five and six; she has built shelters, started schools, and founded an organization that has so far saved more than four thousand women and children in Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos. Her memoir will leave you awestruck by her tenacity and courage and will renew your faith in the power of an individual to bring about change.
To learn more about how you can help fight human trafficking, visit the foundation’s website: www.somaly.org.
Reviews
Has to be told again and again
5By MzhenyaWhoever gave it one star has no heart and is devoid of any compression for another human being. Because of people like that sex slavery is proliferating despite more and more material written on it. Somaly Mam is a special kind of person. If you haven't read anything on this topic yet, it is a must read, one of the better written books on the pic from the source who experienced it firsthand herself. No statistics, just stories with names.WOW
5By BreeWeeWeeI began reading this book as part of my research for a project I was doing on Human Trafficking & sexual slavery. While reading through it, I often had to take breaks in between the chapters because I became emotional. This is absolutely the most graphic, heart wrenching, disturbing .....& most beautiful story it has ever been my please to read. I beg anyone who is has the opportunity to read it, please do so. You won't regret it.Proof
5By CavolProof that the human soul can survive anything.Words cannot describe
5By Anthony MartinezThis is an amazing book. It simply gets you angry, sad, happy, and inspires you to take action against human trafficking. Must read.The road of lost innocence
5By I Kant tink of a nicknamThis book is written so simply but from the heart. I couldn't put it down and parts made me very emotional. It gives a glimpse into the scary and disgusting world of child prostitution. I did not know things were that bad.The road to lost innocence
5By JenhebGet this book!! I couldn't put it down and have rarely felt so moved by an author. It is told in such unemotional honesty that you rage inside for her and these innocent women and children that are brutalized and dehumanized in the worst possible way. Most importantly it makes me ask myself how and where can I help? I will be looking into that. Prepare to be changed. 5 stars!Read it.
5By Derek FieldsIt's tough to face the evils that human beings are capable of perpetrating. But if we ignore them then we set ourselves up to commit them. Even if you reject everything else the Bible teaches, it is easy to see that the human heart is broken and capable of great wrongs. This book is not a spiritual one, it is human. But the spiritual call to action is written on every page. Somaly Mam is my wife's hero, and now she is one of mine.
