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Honoring our former military sex slaves
On Aug. 14 the world commemorates Ianfu Day, in honor of former military sex slaves.
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Sri Sukanti, one of survivors, draped in a scarf by artist Dewi Candraningrum. (Instagram.com/dewicandraningrum)
O
n Aug. 14 the world commemorates Ianfu Day, in honor of former military sex slaves. The term ianfu refers to the girls and women who were abducted and forced into sexual slavery under Japanese military occupation in the Pacific War of 1931-1945 during World War II. Women of all ages were enslaved and treated like military supplies.
The number of “comfort women,” or jugun ianfu, totaled approximately 200,000 girls and women who hailed from South Korea, China, Taiwan, the Philippines, the Netherlands, Malaysia, the former Portuguese Timor, the former Dutch East Indies — Indonesia — and even Japan.
It is reported that 19,000 girls and women from across Indonesia were sexually exploited during World War II, according to the Ex-Heiho Communication Forum (Forum Komunikasi ex Heiho Indonesia).
Heiho refers to the Indonesians who served in auxiliary military forces under the Japanese occupation. Most of the women are in their late 80s and 90s; many have passed away.
During the Japanese occupation, ianfu experienced multiple forms of violence and abuse, which the United Nations regards as war crimes.
Survivors today still live with terrifying memories of their slavery and torture, and suffer irreparable psychological and physical wounds. Many are reluctant to tell the truth and have hidden their trauma from their children and grandchildren.
A great sense of guilt, shame, fear, insecurity, depression and being marginalized remain real to survivors, as described by Eka Hindra in Momoye/Mardiyem, titled after an ianfu survivor who died in December 2007. Labeled prostitutes, they faced lifelong stigma.
