The Alarming Rise of Non-Consensual Pornography Involving Cambodian Women.
An increasing number of Cambodian women—particularly sex workers—are finding themselves victims of non-consensual pornography shared on encrypted messaging apps like Telegram.
Take the story of Sreysros (not her real name), a 32-year-old massage worker in Phnom Penh. One day while preparing for lunch, her phone buzzed. It was a Telegram message from a friend—someone she had moved to the capital with three years earlier in search of work.
The video she received was only 20 seconds long, shared in a Telegram group called “Sell Khmer Video 18+.” The message read: “Leaked video! Pay $5 to join the exclusive group to see the full video.”
Sreysros was horrified. The video showed her having sex with a client.
Though it’s illegal, Sreysros occasionally provides sexual services to make ends meet. After leaving her drug-addicted husband, she became the sole provider for her two children, who are now cared for by her elderly parents. She dreams of seeing them graduate high school—something she never had the chance to do.
She suspects the video was secretly recorded, likely with a hidden camera or smartphone, during a house visit. “It made me sick,” she told Khmer Times. “I know people look down on what I do, but that doesn’t give them the right to share my private moments.”
Sreysros reached out to the group admin and asked them to remove the video. The admin agreed but revealed the video had been bought from a distributor, meaning it had likely already been seen by thousands. “I’m terrified my children—or their friends—will see it,” she said. “What will I even say to them?”
Sadly, this issue goes far beyond just sex workers. Khmer Times journalists uncovered more than 100 Telegram groups sharing locally-produced pornographic content featuring Cambodian women. One group alone, which charges $10 for access, had over 4,000 videos. Some groups even post content for free, using it to promote illegal online gambling sites or sex toys.
Many of these videos are filmed without the women’s consent. Some contain disturbing scenes, including forced sex, group acts, or footage taken through hidden cameras.
Thousands of users actively engage in these channels, often requesting new content.
Chou Bun Eng, Vice-Chair of Cambodia’s National Committee for Counter Trafficking, confirmed that these activities are illegal. But catching the perpetrators isn’t easy. “Technology is making it harder for police to trace these criminals,” she said. “They’re always one step ahead—but we remain committed to fighting them.”
She encouraged victims to report such cases to the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit or the General Department of Anti-Technology Crime.
However, sex workers remain especially vulnerable and often reluctant to seek help. According to Sok Sreyleap from the Women’s Network for Unity (WNU), many sex workers have their photos or videos taken without consent, only to later see them shared online. While WNU doesn’t intervene directly, they offer counseling and guide victims toward legal support.
“We always report these cases to relevant ministries like the Ministry of Women’s Affairs,” Sreyleap said. “At every event we host, we highlight these women’s voices and stories.”
She explained that many women are afraid to come forward because of shame or fear of exposure. “Some even lie to their families, saying they work in factories or restaurants. When something like this happens, they feel they can’t say anything.”
Cambodian law is clear: producing, possessing, or sharing pornographic material—especially involving minors—is illegal. Under the Law on the Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation:
- Anyone found distributing or displaying obscene images can face up to one month in prison and a fine.
- Those who produce such content can be jailed for up to one year.
- In cases involving children, sentences can be as high as 10 years, along with steep fines.
Despite these laws, Telegram remains a key platform for these crimes. With over 900 million global users, it has long been criticized for not doing enough to stop the spread of illegal content. Governments in Germany, India, and Indonesia have urged Telegram to take stronger action.
In response, Telegram says it has boosted its content moderation team and invested in AI tools to detect harmful content while maintaining user privacy. The platform now allows users to report accounts or groups that share illegal material, promising to delete content or ban violators when confirmed.
Even so, experts say policing such a large and encrypted network is incredibly difficult. Privacy advocates also warn that too much moderation could harm free speech if not carefully handled.
Yi Kimthan, Deputy Country Director of Plan International Cambodia, called for stronger law enforcement. “Serious action must be taken against both buyers and sellers of this content,” he said. “Authorities need to investigate and hold offenders accountable.”
The rise in non-consensual porn is a deeply troubling trend, and while technology has played a major role in spreading this content, it can also be part of the solution—if laws are enforced and platforms take meaningful action.
This story is firstly published on Khmer Times.