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Tel: 416-299-0111
This project was the result of the Live Well, Take Action ambassador program in which students' goals were to learn about various topics and issues, particularly surrounding those of East Asian descent, and through a final project, choose a topic or issue that they would like to bring awareness to through a certain public medium.
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This program was supported by ALPHA Education, CCNCTO and the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
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"I have forgiven the Japanese for what they did to me, but I can never forget."
- Jan Ruff-O'Herne, "Comfort Woman"
WHAT IS THE LILY PROJECT?
The Lily Project was founded by three high school students who, after learning of the devastating stories of the "Comfort Women" in World War Two, decided to start a project to bring some much needed awareness to an issue that has never been fully resolved to this day. Our aim is to inform and educate people about the horrors associated with the creation of the "Comfort Women," and how such a tragic event has affected not only the young girls and women forced into sex slavery back in World War Two, but our present society and those that have had to accept the existence of such a stain on our history.
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So why lilies? Lilies represent innocence and purity, and these are the priceless traits of young girls that were mercilessly taken and shattered the day they were made "Comfort Women." We believe our duty as informed citizens of the world is to protect this stolen innocence that can never be fully restored, and use it to bring light to an issue that has tainted, but yet is a crucial part of history.
WHAT ARE "COMFORT WOMEN"?
The term “Comfort Women” is an euphemism for sex slavery, or prostitution. This came into existence during the second World War when Imperial Japan occupied several countries under its rule. In order to reduce the amount of rape crimes committed by soldiers that would cause hostility in occupied areas, the Japanese government forcibly took, kidnapped, tricked, and then pressured women into sex slavery. They were then treated poorly, often beaten and raped daily. Unfortunately, even after this immoral system was stopped, the women still suffered from the impact of being a former “Comfort Woman." Many of the survivors were left infertile due to sexual trauma or STI’s (Sexually Transmitted Infections). The mental and emotional trauma they endured also contributed greatly to their suffering. A clinical study done in 2011 found that “Comfort Women” were more prone to PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) 60 years after the end of the war. Those who didn’t survive were killed by the Japanese, or forced to commit suicide during the last years of World War Two. These women were mostly from Korea and China, however there were also women from Australia, Taiwan, the Philippines, Dutch East Indies, Indonesia, as well as Japan. The estimated total number of “Comfort Women” that had to suffer through this tragic event was 200, 000.
WHAT IS NOW BEING DONE?
In 2015, the Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, and South Korea’s President Park Guen-hye came to a formal agreement to settle the matter. Japan agreed to pay 1 billion Yen to a fund supporting the victims, while South Korea agreed not to criticize Japan on this issue, along with removing a statue memorializing the victims in front of the Japanese Embassy. As a result, the matter of the “Comfort Women” was deemed resolved by both governments. However, the South Korean “Comfort Women” survivors, as well as the majority of the South Korean population, protested strongly against this so-called resolution. The initial goal of the former “Comfort Women” wasn’t to gain monetary compensation, but to receive a formal and public apology, amongst other goals, from the Japanese government and their Prime Minister. South Korea’s foreign ministry has thus been accused of collaborating with the Japanese government in an effort to create a quick, simple solution to this complex issue. This cause has also garnered international support, coming from places like the US and Europe.
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In addition, as a result of this issue that has yet to be resolved, many organizations and causes have surfaced. Some of these causes work to to raise awareness for the issue of the "Comfort Women," such as the Washington Coalition for Comfort Women Issues and The Lily Project, while others work as non-profit organizations to raise funds for causes that support the "Comfort Women." One such cause is an online shop called Marymond that sells clothing, accessories, and phone cases, and over 50% of the raised proceeds are donated to non-profit organizations that work to resolve related issues.
In South Korea, Wednesday Demonstrations take place in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul every Wednesday of the week. The participants range from living “Comfort Women”and women’s organizations, to socio-civic groups and religious groups, along with a number of supportive individuals. This event is sponsored by The Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan (KCWDMSS).
In addition to these demonstrations, there is also a nursing home for “Comfort Women” called The House of Sharing. The House of Sharing hosts The Museum of Sexual Slavery by Japanese Military, its purpose being to educate the public about the brutal history behind the “Comfort Women” system.
There is also an archive created by survivors meant to preserve their personal history through the use of visuals. As well, the director of the Center for Asian American Media has created a video archive meant to educate students about the issue, from K-12 to college. These archives have served as a place of unity between the survivors and the public, serving as an educational bridge between the two, despite differences in age, experiences, and opinions.
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In the Philippines, "Comfort Women" survivors have formed various groups, and are often called "Lolas," meaning grandmothers. Two groups, Lila Pilipina (League of Filipino women) and Malaya Lolas (Free grandmothers), are currently asking the Japanese government for a formal apology, and wish for the Philippine government to back their claims. In addition, they have done demonstrations in front of the Japanese Embassy in Manila. Similar to those in South Korea, the Lolas in the Philippines have formed their own collection of testimonies that rest in their Grandmother house, where two of the survivors have written autobiographies.
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Taiwanese survivors have also been hard at work in bringing this issue into the spotlight, and have successfully gained support from women’s rights activists and civil rights groups. Their testimonies have been documented and preserved in Taiwanese films, newspapers, and books. As well, their claims have been supported by the Taipei Women’s Rescue Foundation (TWRF), which has done much to help the survivors gain justice for the crimes committed against them. The Taiwanese government is also supporting them, and has repeatedly asked the Japanese for apologies and compensation.
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Above information was retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comfort_women.
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