Cambodian Brothel: Ugliness and Sadness

Today I remember back to the time of these photos. In my memory I was in the back of the brothel behind the workers. I sat with the Cambodian family who ran the place. To be allowed in I had to buy a can of coke for $5 and so I sipped it for several hours and watched, listened and tried to practice my Khmer. I had started at that point to write in Khmer (since forgotten) and was trying to learn some vocabulary as well. I remember watching the backs of the brothel workers as they sat on these cheap plastic chairs facing out to the dirt road trying to entice passing Cambodian males. I kept thinking, I have to tell their story to show others their horrific world (many workers in the brothels of Cambodia are tricked or sold into a life of sex slavery).

What has happened to them in the 8 years since these photos were made? Died of Aids? Beaten? Forgotten? Or possibly/hopefully still alive and living away from the brothels, perhaps even happily.