XP? No thanks!

A group named Extreme Prophets (XP) have started to visit Poipet. I wish they wouldn't send teams. I'm usually an advocate for people coming short term or long term but in this case I say, 'Please don't come.'

The promo video concerns me (open page and scroll down). The opening sentence begins with the emotive but vague proposition, 'Sexual addiction is spreading in viral proportions globally and internet pornography is fueling it.' In the first minute, King uses the words: 'sex addicts', 'sex tourism', 'sex auctions', 'pedophiles', 'rape', 'drugged' and 'smuggled' thrown together in a way that suggests that she is going to talk about child sex trafficking but without much understanding of the issue at all.

The problem isn't clear and the proposed solution to build safe houses doesn't fit the problem. The Cambodian government wants to close orphanages. There is a move away from institutions to community based care for children in need. Why re-label the same orphanage idea as safe houses if the government doesn't want it? Secondly, these safe houses are also meant to be for children 'at risk'. What does this mean? I wonder if there are any children who are not, in some degree, 'at risk' simply by living in Poipet?

The XP team gives a long lists of dates and encourages people to come to visit for a week. I am concerned about the constant flow of Westerners seeing the same programs with the same people, walking the same streets, taking the same photos. The promo promises that in one week participants can 'care and rescue'. Really? A tourist who drops in for a few days without speaking the language, understanding the culture or having wrestled with the complicated issues of migration, trafficking and child protection is going to rescue Cambodian children? I doubt it.

I also wonder about the screening and training for people who sign up for these teams? I fear that these teams could do more harm than good.

XP: I appreciate your passion and your heart. However, please don't send your teams.