‘In remembrance of all the victims of Japanese Military Sexual Slavery and all those who have suffered from atrocious sex crimes of the battlefields.’

For those who do not have much background knowledge about the ‘Japanese Military Sexual Slavery' ('comfort women' issue) during WWII, please read the following article first: https://www.britannica.com/topic/comfort-women

‘Comfort women’ refers to women and girls victimized by the large-scale sexual slavery system established under the Empire of Japan during World War II. More than 200,000 victims have been identified across Korea, Vietnam, China, the Philippines, Taiwan, Burma, Indonesia, the Netherlands, and other Japanese-occupied territories.

More than 70 years passed without justice: 

Despite the extreme violation of human rights, the survivors have not received any sincere apology from the perpetrators. After Hak-sun Kim's courageous first public testimony, who is a Korean surviving victim, other victims start to break the silence to demand justice and restore their dignity. Even though more than 50 years is passed, the victims are still fighting for justice.

The Statue of Peace in memory of 'comfort women' 

The importance of ‘comfort women’ to be commemorated lies in the facts that:

1)    It symbolizes the victims' courage to fight against injustice.

Although it is hard to break the silence after experiencing all the hard emotions, thanks to Hak-sun Kim's brave public testimony, many other people have shared the same experience have stepped up and spoken up for a sincere apology from the perpetrators. From that day, their voice seeking justice has continued.

2)    It manifests our determination to eradicate wartime sexual violence.

A common misconception about WeHope's motives is that, what we fight for, the victims of the ‘comfort women’ issue is just a binational political conflict between Korea and Japan. While, in fact, it is a war crime that has been and still violates women's rights and human rights in the 21st century in war zones and conflict-affected areas. Thus, the victims should not be left alone to seek equity on their own, it is also our shared responsibility as a civilized community to fight against injustice. At WeHope, we want to establish that this issue is perceived as a serious violation of fundamental human rights, to which every human being is entitled. It is crucial to recognize the past unethical and immoral course of action, as a consequence of war crimes, to not only ensure that it will not be forgotten but to avoid any further possible fallacy as well.

Together, We Can Build the Statue of Peace in Boston!

By building the Statue of Peace, fewer atrocities will happen in the future. Acknowledging and learning about the 'comfort women' issue will help to shape the perspectives on the current war and gender equity issues.

It is imperative to erect the statue where it will have the most impact as a statement of respectful remembrance of pain, peace, and human rights. Boston is the perfect city to spread this powerful message, considering its diversity and young population; Boston is where understanding and promoting social justice is crucial and where future leaders are being educated!

<About This Project>

WeHope Boston's goal is to build the Statue of Peace in Boston to honor the victims and to gain public attention on a broader issue, human rights violations. Our approximate budget is $50,000 at the time of establishment, with your huge support. Your help will be greatly appreciated.

By building the Statue of Peace in Boston, we would like to honor the victims of 'comfort women', and also hope to stop human rights abuses in conflict zones around the world. 

Anyone within the Boston community can help bring about this change by signing this petition and recognizing that this issue remains unscrutinized by the general public. Every individual regardless of age, race, and gender can offer support to establish the Statue of Peace and raise necessary conversations about the significance of human rights in our global society.