I am covering trend, food and fashion. Previously, I covered diplomacy, city, environment and unification.
Activist supports sexual slavery victims
.jpg?w=728)
Anne Suzanne Vandana Joseph from India holds a placard supporting former sex slaves forced to serve Japanese soldiers during World War II, in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul on Wednesday. She joined two sexual slavery victims in a weekly demonstration calling on the Japanese government to make a sincere apology for Imperial Japan’s crimes against humanity. / Korea Times photo by Kim Se-jeong
By Kim Se-jeong
By Kim Se-jeong
Anne Suzanne Vandana Joseph from India said that she was deeply moved by a life-long fight waged by former sex slaves who were forced to serve Japanese soldiers during World War II.
“They are still waiting for justice,” she said, adding that she was deeply moved by their life-long fight. Many of the victims passed away, and those who are still alive are at least in their 80s.
“I was not aware of the issue before coming here. What I could do is to tell their stories and spread awareness of the issue when I go back to my college. Indians don’t have much awareness of this issue,” she said.
Joseph, 25, teaches business administration and women’s studies at Lady Doak College, the first women’s college in Madurai in southern India.
She is a participant in the 7th Ewha Global Empowerment Program in Seoul organized by Ewha Womans University’s Asian Center for Women’s Studies.
The program was launched to empower women who work in the nongovernmental sectors in Asia and Africa and to nourish female leaders.
On Wednesday, Joseph and 22 other program participants joined two sexual slavery victims in a demonstration in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul. The two victims were forced by the Japanese military during WWII to provide sex for frontline Japanese troops.
Victims have been demonstrating in front of the embassy every Wednesday since 1992, with the help of the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, a local NGO.
During the demonstration, Joseph stood behind the women, holding a butterfly-shaped paper reading “Halmeonies, we are with you.” Halmeonies is a Korean term for elderly women.
And, looking at the two victims, she sees a ray of hope. “Even though it is a sad thing, I am glad because they are still fighting.”
In addition to teaching, Joseph is actively involved in the work of the Women’s Studies Center, an organization affiliated with Lady Doak College.
In 2009, when the center celebrated its 25th anniversary, she and her colleagues created a student club, which provided students a place to discuss, learn and educate others on the subject.
The club members recently completed a 16-day protest, calling attention to violence against women in the community.
She said she felt proud that her team encouraged almost 1,000 women to participate in the rally. “The entire center was very happy with the fact that we have launched 16 days of activism.”
When asked about gender-related problems in India, the professor cited female infanticide as the worst.
Female infanticide, including selective abortion, is prevalent among poor families who have difficulty raising funds for a dowry, a wedding tradition where brides give a significant amount of money, property and other gifts to their grooms.
She said she and other activists are making efforts to raise awareness of the issue.