Human trafficking victim Vannak Anan Prum uses art to tell his story - The Washington Post

Human trafficking victim Vannak Anan Prum uses art to tell his story - The Washington Post:

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In 2006, Prum was kidnapped from Cambodia and forced into virtual slavery in Thailand. For three years, he worked on a fishing boat for 20 hours a day and was, according to the State Department, “mistreated, starved, and tortured.” He slept little and worked fatigued. Those who could not perform were beaten, thrown overboard or killed. Prum says he saw a man decapitated and his body tossed into the sea. Even those who tried jumping ship could not stray far; the boat would just turn around and retrieve them.

When the boat stopped in Malaysia, Prum and his cousin escaped, swimming to shore and then running into the jungle. They sought help from police officers and were placed in jail until the Malaysian Embassy could be contacted. But they soon realized that they had fallen into another trap.

Two men arrived at the jail and paid the police officers for Prum. He was taken to a palm oil plantation where he worked for the next four months, paid only enough money to buy a carton of cigarettes.