The Cambodian Somaly Mam, a champion of women's rights and fighting against sexual slavery, has been admitted to a Madrid hospital after falling ill during a visit to Spain, where she received a visit from the Queen, as confirmed to Efe sources of the King's House.
Sofia was scheduled to receive in audience today at the Zarzuela Palace to Mam, 42, but the interview was suspended yesterday because the activist had become ill on the eve of an ailment that she advised her hospitalization at a health center in Madrid.
After interest in the situation of Somaly Mam, the Queen decided this morning to go to the health center for the evolution personally, and remained with her in the hospital for half an hour, before chairing a meeting convened at noon on Contra Aid Foundation Drug Addiction (FAD).
The sources of the royal family, who have not specified the hospital where the activist is hospitalized or the nature of their health problem, however clarified that this is not a serious condition and remains hospitalized for observation.
Somaly Mam visited Segovia in Spain to attend the "Meet III Women who change the world", which is narrated the first person in the traumatic experience she had as a child sold, raped and forced into prostitution in brothels in Cambodia under the regime of the Khmer Rouge of Pol Pot.
Received the 1998 Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation and has dedicated her life to saving girls, sexually enslaved and tortured as happened to her.
Her NGO, Acting for women in distressing Situations (Afesip) founded in 1996, works in Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam and Laos, and has rescued more than 7,000 women and girls victims of sexual violence.
She chairs the organization since 1997 to eradicate prostitution and child trafficking (ECPAT) and since 1999, the Confederation of Women of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).
In addition, in 2007 she created the Somaly Mam Foundation, designed to combat sex trafficking, with the involvement of governments, businesses and citizens.
Her commitment and struggle have brought death threats from gangs involved in prostitution for herself and for her family and organization.
