Military Sexual Slavery During World War II
Military Sexual Slavery During World War II: The "Comfort Women" From 1931 to 1945, between 50,000 and 200,000 girls and young women, euphemistically known as “comfort women,” were forced into sexual servitude in Japanese military brothels, where they were systematically raped and abused by Japanese military personnel. While they came from countries throughout East Asia, the vast majority – 80% or more – were from Korea. Those who survived lived in silence, bearing the physical and emotional scars of their enslavement. Only in the early 1990s did survivors begin to come forward to share their stories and demand justice. Since then, the survivors and other activists have fought to raise awareness and shape public opinion about the issue. They have demanded that the Japanese government investigate its wartime conduct, admit its war crimes, punish those responsible, issue formal apologies, compensate victims, and accurately educate future generations on t...