comfort woman: Idiom Meaning and Origin
What does ‘comfort woman’ mean?
The idiom "comfort woman" refers to a term used during World War II to describe women who were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military. This term highlights the dehumanizing and exploitative nature of their experiences.
Idiom Explorer
The idiom "jump someone's bones" means to have sexual intercourse with someone.
The idiom "in the sack" is used to describe being in a sexual relationship with someone or to refer to engaging in sexual activity.
The idiom "ice maiden" refers to a person, typically a woman, who appears very cold and unemotional, lacking warmth and empathy in their interactions with others.
The idiom "human touch" refers to the personal connection or interaction between people, often emphasizing the warmth, empathy, and understanding that can be conveyed through physical contact, gestures, or personal attention.
The idiom "hot water" refers to being in a difficult or troublesome situation, often due to one's own actions or decisions.
The idiom "horizontal tango" is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
The idiom "hard done by" refers to feeling unfairly treated or disadvantaged in a situation. It implies a sense of experiencing hardship or being poorly treated in comparison to others.
The idiom "give someone wood" is a slang phrase that is used to describe a feeling of sexual attraction or arousal towards someone.
The idiom "German virgin" is a derogatory term used to refer to someone who is sexually inexperienced or naive.
The idiom "gentle sex" refers to women or the female gender. It implies that women are delicate, refined, and in need of care and protection.
Unearthing Unspoken Stories
A comfort woman refers to a woman who was forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during World War II. The term originated from the Japanese euphemism "ianfu," which translates to "comfort women" in English. The practice of conscripting women to serve as sexual slaves was a systematic and widespread activity carried out by the Imperial Japanese Army primarily between 1932 and 1945. While estimates vary, it is believed that tens of thousands of women from various countries were forced into sexual servitude.
The euphemism "comfort" was used by the Japanese military to downplay the severity of their actions. They referred to the sexual exploitation and abuse of these women as "comfort," implying that these women were providing comfort to the soldiers. However, this term fails to capture the true nature of their experiences, which involved coercion, physical violence, and dehumanization.
The majority of comfort women were recruited from Japan's occupied territories, including Korea, China, Taiwan, the Philippines, and other Southeast Asian countries. These women were often deceived or coerced into working in brothels established by the Japanese military, where they were subjected to constant abuse. Many comfort women endured unimaginable suffering, including rape, forced abortions, diseases, and emotional trauma.
The issue of comfort women remained largely overlooked for decades after the war, with many survivors facing societal stigma and silence. It was not until the early 1990s that the issue gained significant international attention, leading to demands for acknowledgment, apology, and compensation from the Japanese government. Activists and survivors started speaking out, sharing their traumatic experiences and seeking justice.
"comfort girl," "gentle sex," "fair sex," "creature comfort," and "farm nigger" are idioms that are related to the concept of comfort women. These idioms illustrate the different ways in which women have been objectified and exploited throughout history.
The term "comfort woman" has become a symbol of the atrocities committed during World War II, particularly the sexual violence inflicted upon women in conflict. It represents a dark chapter in history, highlighting the complex dynamics of power, gender, and war. The legacy of the comfort women continues to resonate today, reminding us of the importance of confronting past atrocities, advocating for victims' rights, and working towards preventing such crimes in the future.
Example usage
1. The term "comfort woman" refers to women who were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during World War II.
2. The documentary shed light on the experiences of comfort women and their lifelong struggle for justice and reparation.
3. In recent years, there has been increased advocacy for the recognition of comfort women's stories and the inclusion of their narratives in history textbooks.
More "history" idioms
