FFW was formed in 1984 when we established a Women’s Information Center providing advice to Thai women who were to go abroad. In 1986, we opened a women’s shelter for victims of domestic violence. In 1988, FFW expanded its activities with the launch of a community-based education project (Kamla) to inform people about the problems of child prostitution and to counter the propaganda spread by agents working for international and national trafficking networks. The Kamla Project was illustrated in the UN Plan of Action Combating the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography in 1992 as an example to combating child prostitution by launching public education. In 1991, the experience gained from the community-based work led to the launch of the “Weaving New Life” Project. The project combined the public education/media production work of FFW with the training of village residents as volunteer development workers to assist women and children in their communities. While working for gender equality/equity and social justice, FFW encourages the participation of women and community in solving their problems and collaborating with authorities at all levels in shaping plans and policies that affect the lives of women and children.
The intersection of gender-based violence and MMIWG is heavily intertwined. It is important to understand the connection between domestic, dating, and sexual violence and the high incidence of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG) in the United States.
When she looked at the three of us and asked “but how can they get away with it?” I felt so much guilt rush over me.
She once threatened a trafficker trying to gain information about the women inside her shelter. Monica charged, "I know where I am going when I die; hell is going to eat you alive." Yes. That happened.
