ABSTRACT
This chapter sketches different gender scripts in Cambodia. It addresses male and female images of identity, in addition to the obstacles and the possibilities concerning women's political participation and how these relate to the violent history of Cambodia. The chapter addresses gender based violence (GBV) and the discourses of gender connected to the violence. According to Ledgerwood, ideal woman in contemporary Cambodia can simultaneously be 'a shy, quiet, and obedient servant and a strong, manipulating, vocal village woman'. The history of Cambodia carries with it memories of assassinations and destruction. First of all, the country was hit by the US Cambodia bombings, aimed at destroying North Vietnamese troops entering the country from Vietnam. In sum, the nexus between the violent history of Cambodia and various gendered norms and identity positions probably fosters domestic violence. According to Nanda Pok, director of Women for Prosperity, Cambodian women and men alike are longing for a strong leader, albeit one with a big heart.
