Four child survivors were identified and protected because someone reported. APLE Cambodia urges children who have been harmed, and anyone who suspects abuse by a person close to a child, to report it — reporting stops abuse, prevents further harm and ensures survivors receive protection and care.
A 28-year-old Cambodian man has been arrested and charged with sexual offences against four girls in Phnom Penh, following a three-month investigation involving APLE Cambodia and the Cambodian National Police.
The suspect was arrested on 20 August 2026 by the Anti-Human Trafficking and Juvenile Protection Department (AHTJPD) of the Ministry of Interior. On 23 August 2026, an investigating judge of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court officially charged him with multiple offences under the 2008 Law on Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation, including the production and possession of pornographic material (Articles 38-39), the production and possession of child pornography (Articles 40-41), and sexual intercourse with a minor under fifteen years of age (Articles 42).
The investigation began in May 2026, when APLE Cambodia received a report through its hotline concerning a teacher suspected of sexually abusing students in his care. APLE assessed the report and referred it to the AHTJPD. The AHTJPD, APLE and the reporting party then worked together to identify the children who may have been affected.
During the investigation, police recovered child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The suspect is alleged to have misled female students about a health risk and, on that pretext, to have subjected them to intrusive physical examinations for which there was no medical basis. The children had no reason or means to question instructions given by their own teacher. The offences are alleged to have taken place over a period ending in November 2025. Four girls were identified and are now receiving care and psychosocial support from APLE and its partners.
This case underscores the importance of timely information sharing and coordinated action between APLE Cambodia and the Cambodian National Police. The identification and protection of the survivors, and the referral of the case to the courts, were made possible through close cooperation among the parties involved.
The case also highlights the responsibility of every organization working with children to establish and enforce strong child safeguarding policies and systems — including safer recruitment, supervision, clear reporting procedures and staff training — so that abuse is prevented and detected early within their own structures.
“Global evidence is clear: most child sexual abuse is not committed by strangers. It happens within a child’s circle of trust — by people children know, depend on and are taught to trust. That is exactly why reporting matters. A report allows early intervention, stops abuse from continuing, prevents other children from being harmed, and ensures that those already affected are protected and supported. We urge any child or young person who has been harmed, and any adult who suspects that a child is being abused, to come forward. Reporting is not a betrayal of trust — it is how we protect children,” said Executive Director of APLE Cambodia.