The House of Sharing - The Historical Museum of Sexual Slavery by the Japanese Military located in Twaechon-myun, Kwangju-kun, in the Kyonggi-do province, not far from Seoul, offers monthly English tours. Thanks to Andrea, Maria, Juwon, Annie and Jyoung-ah who were our well-organized volunteers, approximately 30 of us were able to learn more about Korea's Halmonis known as "comfort women" or Chongshindae.
Halmoni, which means grandmother in Korean, is the respectful term used to refer to the women who were subjected to sexual violence and slavery during Japanese colonialism. According to many first hand testimonials, these women were literally sold by their poverty-stricken families, or led under false pretenses (told they were going to a special school to be educated or to a factory where they could make money for their families, etc.), or were kidnapped ?all forced to work in the military rape centers. Our tour volunteers explained that the Japanese militarized system of organized prostitution was under the pretense to protect local families in occupied communities from random rape rampages.
Although women from many countries such as the Philippines, China, Indonesia, Holland, etc., were also trafficked as comfort women, most of the comfort women were Korean due to the comfort station owner's ability to get around the "International Treaty of Prohibition of Sales of Women and Children" which did not apply to colonized countries. There were approximately 60 to 70 comfort women at each station and it's been estimated that there were hundreds to thousands of comfort stations set up throughout Asia. These regulated rape stations provided services to officers day and night. The women were forced to have sex with more than 10-30 men a day (more on the weekends), and in most cases, fees were paid to comfort station owners but not to the women directly. The fees were set according to the ethnicity of the women. The women were held in captivity until pregnant or with severe symptoms of venereal diseases at which point they would just disappear from the comfort station. The women were checked every seven to ten days for venereal diseases as most soldiers would not wear condoms. Those infected with sexually transmitted diseases were treated with toxic mercury, and those who attempted to escape were severely beaten or killed. Those who survived were often physically unable to bear children in later years due to the damage done to their bodies, and many of them never recovered from the trauma.
It is estimated that 50,000 to 300,000 Korean women were forced to service Japanese men; however, since 1990 when The Korean Research Institute for Chongshindae was founded, and Kim Hak-soon and Moon Ok-ju's public statements in 1991, few out of the several thousands have come forward or signed up as comfort women victims. Among the 192 women who registered in Korea in 1998, only 153 were still alive in 1999. Now, years later, most of these women would be in their 80's or have already passed away. With the amount of shame and stigma attached to their experiences, most find it difficult to recall and relive their painful memories, or be public with their stories. Even after the military comfort women became an important social issue in Korea, and deemed a crime against humanity by the United Nations in 1996, the Japanese government refused to acknowledge their part in the drafting of women for sexual slavery. Needless to say, the international society has openly criticized Japan for not offering legal restitution, but it doesn't seem to be enough. History is often controversial and questioned as fact or fiction, but the Halmonis feel disrespected towards the blatent omission of acknowledgement or recognition of their experiences.
It wasn't until 1991 that the nation heard about these comfort women. Kim Hak-soon, aged 67 at that time, gave a public testimony. She was motivated by a TV announcement which stated that the Japanese government denied the draft of "comfort women" during occupation. In her words, "we must record these things that were forced upon us." Up until this time, comfort women had no voice and no place in history. However, with Kim Hak-soon's testimony, and soon after Moon Ok-ju's public statement, other women began to come forward.
Since 1992, demonstrations began and continue to take place at the Japanese Embassy at noon every Wednesday; and with the opening of the House of Sharing and museum in 1998, many people have come to learn more about what happened. Japanese students often offer their support with postcards of apology and recognition and have sent wreaths of a 1000 paper cranes which represent that wishes do come true.
The House of Sharing and the Historical Museum of Sexual Slavery by the Japanese Military is a safe place for those who survived the life of a comfort woman and has provided a space for the Halmonis to heal. Art therapy, such as painting, has enabled a few of these women the opportunity to express their pain. Actual testimonies from the nine women who live at the House of Sharing and media recorded testimonies allow for the public to get a first hand sense of what these women went through.
Eleanor Roosevelt once stated that, "victim is only a concept, not a state of mind."
What does it take to overcome such experiences? And what would it take for the Halmonis to receive what they feel would help them in this lifetime?
There are seven items they are open to receiving:
1.recognition of what was done to them
2.an official apology
3.the truth of what happened
4.a representative statue made for the victims
5.compensation for survivors and their families
6.education for the next generation so that history will not repeat itself
7.punishment for those responsible
Although M.A.S.H. was my first introduction to life in Korea, it hasn't been my last.
The day trip was a reminder of how important it is to educate ourselves and one-another about human trafficking, sexual slavery, and the long term affects. Sure the Japanese government can wait till all the Halmonis die and hope their history dies with them, but sexual slavery did not end after the Korean War. Women and children continue to be forced into sexual slavery everyday all around the world.
To learn more about The House of Sharing and the Historical Museum of Sexual Slavery by the Japanese Military check www.nanum.org. To book a tour, you can contact them at http://manja.net/sharinghouse/ or email sharinghouse@gmail.com. If you want to go on your own, get to the Gangbyeon subway station (Green line # 214) in Seoul, take the 1113 bus for a 40 minute ride, get off & take a short taxi ride. Bring a lunch and about 10,000 won. 5000 won donation to the House of Sharing and 5000 won for transit costs.