History in the Making
Document Type
Article
Abstract
Despite the extensive research on World War II, little is known about a system created by the Japanese government in which women were forced into sexual slavery. This system, known as the Comfort Woman System, enabled soldiers to systematically and heinously rape young women for the sole purpose of self-satisfaction and as a reward for their military efforts as a man in combat. This study uncovers some of the brutality for a mature audience through an analysis of credible data, photographic evidence and an extensive look into the oral histories of former Comfort Women. These firsthand accounts give the women’s own personal reflections on their past and provide a horrific truth to the objection, that this system never existed. This objection is a view that the Japanese government is ardent to stand behind. The stories and pictures add awareness to our understanding of who these women were and what their role was during World War II. This study is part of a growing body of research on violence against women during times of war. In using oral histories with former sexual slaves; this project will add to future research on similar topics.
Recommended Citation
Roskam, Andrea
(2011)
"Rape Regiment: Sexual Violence against Women during War,"
History in the Making: Vol. 4, Article 4.
Available at:
https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/history-in-the-making/vol4/iss1/4