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World War II: Comfort Women

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During the World War II and its preceding conflicts, women of Japanese colonies and occupied territories, including South Korea, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Taiwan, were forcibly recruited by the Imperial Japanese Army into a life of ‘military sexual slavery’. The exact numbers are obscure – the war’s conclusion witnessed the Japanese military sabotage and conceal various pertinent official documents. Conjectures based on accessible material deduces the numbers ideally between 80,000 and 200,000, (Yoshimi, 2000, p. 91). Euphemistically referred to as “Comfort Women”, they were subjected to substandard living conditions wherein they were housed exclusively for the sexual gratification for the Japanese military.

Despite the fact that comfort …show more content…
The Japanese government intended, that in restricting rape and sexual abuse to military-governed stations, acts like the Rape of Nanking would be prevented, or alternatively, kept secret from the international press. Another was to thwart anti-Japanese sentiment from instigating among nationals in the colonised regions given instances of rape prompted resistance. A further intention was maintaining optimal Japanese military personnel health and minimising medical expenses. Japanese soldiers were prone to contracting venereal infections and other diseases given rape was committed indiscriminately and in the masses, causing loss of strength. In addition, the required medical treatment was costly to see officers and solider return to assigned war duties. Under military administration, comfort stations, as well as those managed by private operators, incorporated medical examinations of the women to verify their virginity and health by Japanese military doctors, (Tanaka, 1996, p. 30). …show more content…
Countless young women and girls were enslaved in this servitude through violent and deceptive means – the promise of job opportunities, being bound by debt, and threats of brutal measures if failing to comply. Thus, the dictatorial command, the medical examinations, the abuse, and the control over sexuality withheld, consequently, lead to dehumanisation and objectification of comfort

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