Brookhaven Monument To Memorialize 'Comfort Women'

BROOKHAVEN, GA -- A monument that draws attention to one of the ugliest chapters of colonial rule in the Pacific is being erected in Brookhaven, the city announced Tuesday.

From 1910 to 1945, the systematic raping of South Korean women by Japanese soldiers in wartime brothels was commonplace, representing the longest and most painful saga of sex trafficking in modern times.

The plight of the former sex slaves, dubbed "Comfort Women" by the soldiers back then, has been a point of contention between Japan and South Korea for decades as a dwindling number of the women (a little more than three dozen are still alive) continue to agitate the Japanese government for appropriate recognition and reparations.

In a unanimous vote, the Brookhaven City Council approved plans to build a memorial for the "Comfort Women" to raise awareness of the injustice and depravity of the global human sex trade. Brookhaven's statue, named Young Girl’s Statue for Peace, will show that the city, a quarter of whose residents are foreign-born, is in solidarity with the women and against sex trafficking across the world.

“We are grateful for the courage, passion and commitment of the city officials of Brookhaven,” Baik Kyu Kim, the Chair of the Atlanta Comfort Women Memorial Task Force, said in a news release. “It is our hope that this beautiful statue will bring much healing, peace and hope.”

Brookhaven is the first city in Georgia and the Deep South to publicly commemorate the cause of the comfort women.

“The Comfort Women tragedy is one the largest known cases of human and sexual trafficking in the 20th century,” Brookhaven City Councilman John Park was quoted as saying. “The City of Brookhaven is deeply honored to be the home for the Young Girl’s Statue for Peace. As we remember the history of these victims of human trafficking and enslavement, we bear witness to their suffering so that these atrocities never happen again.”

“By establishing this memorial, we are raising awareness of the ongoing problems of sexual and human trafficking taking place in metro Atlanta and the world today,” said Brookhaven Mayor John Ernst. “The City of Brookhaven is proud to join the growing list of progressive cities around the world that have already installed memorials in recognition of Comfort Women and their suffering."

In December 2015, Tokyo and Seoul struck an accord, calling it a “final and irreversible resolution,” in which Japan reaffirmed an apology and vowed to pay close to 1 billion yen ($8 million) to help survivors. Many of the victims rejected the deal though, saying that it was inadequate and they were not consulted. Japan also has avoided calling the payment reparations, something the survivors continue to demand.

Brookhaven's memorial is slated to be erected within the next 30 days, the city announced. A location is still being decided. SIGN UP: To get notified of more local news like this, click here to sign up for the Brookhaven Patch. Or find your Atlanta-area town here. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app.

Image via Wikimedia / Public Domain