Yen Duong / Salgu Wismath - "Child Brides of China" Podcast

To Experience “Child Brides of China” DOWNLOAD TOTIM APPIn Episode 008 of Exposures, Yen Duong discusses her project Child Brides of China, which documents the trafficking of Vietnamese girls into forced marriages. The work examines the socioeconomic and structural factors that sustain these networks, including gender imbalance, poverty, and limited legal protections. Duong also reflects on her broader career as a photojournalist, covering issues of migration and social inequality and how years of work across Vietnam have shaped her approach to documenting human rights issues with deep sensitivity. The conversation addresses the practical and ethical challenges of reporting on human trafficking, the psychological toll of prolonged exposure to traumatic subject matter and the importance of trauma-informed training and mental health support in helping journalists manage the emotional demands of sustained fieldwork.Yen DuongYen Duong is a Berlin-based photojournalist whose work addresses larger issues of migration, climate change, and social inequality. Before relocating to Berlin, she spent years reporting from Hanoi and Saigon, covering stories on human trafficking, environmental disasters, and the effects of rapid urbanization on marginalized communities. Her photography and reporting have been published in The New York Times, The Guardian, The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, Al Jazeera, ProPublica, and Rest of World, among others. A member of Women Photograph and Diversify Photo, she has received awards and support from the Pulitzer Center, One World Media, and the Dogma Collection for her long-term projects.Salgu WismathSalgu Wissmath is a nonbinary Korean American photographer whose work bridges documentary, editorial, and conceptual storytelling. Originally from Sacramento, California, they are currently based in San Antonio, Texas. Their current work explores the intersections of mental health, queer identity, and faith using a conceptual documentary approach. Salgu’s editorial work has been published in The New York Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, The San Antonio Express-News, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian and NPR amongst others. Get full access to TOTIM at totim.substack.com/subscribe