TW/CW: Mentions of child exploitation, sexual violence towards women, fraud, and other potential community trauma.

For this special episode, I invited my good friend, past guest, and longtime Khmer American community leader, Sina Sam, to the show to discuss the allegations made against Khmerican founder, Phatry Derek Pan, involving financial grifting, child exploitation & predatory behavior towards the Cambodian community both in America and in Cambodia. It is important to note that Phatry has not been charged or found guilty of these allegations, and that the information we are sharing is based on the experiences and stories shared by community members, which will remain confidential for safety purposes. Sina and I also chatted about the pervasive nature of the predatory and toxic behavior of some of the Khmer leaders and members in community spaces, and how the people who have been the recipients of their harm are often not believed, forced to leave their community space(s) or exit out of the work that they have been doing in the community, and not be able to see their abusers be held accountable, and not to mention, the trauma they have to endure long after. Sina shares her reflection on what accountability can look like in community spaces and in supporting survivors. Many thanks to Sophia Sam for her contributions in this episode and for gathering stories from folks who have experienced harm in Khmer community spaces.

For additional resources, please check out the following:

Individual Khmer therapists: Recommended by Krystal from Mealea Collection:

1. Zona Keo (LCSW) at soulfulconnectiontherapy.org (U.S. based)

2. Sophay (Pai) Duch (LCSW) at sophayduchlcsw.com (U.S. based)

3. Sombok Psychology in Phnom Penh (Cambodia based, echoed by another Khmer person as “the only trusted therapy center in PH)

4. Yo Phon (LCSW) in Siem Reap (Cambodia based, recommended by Mealyann Nita Saing/Miss Cambodia USA)