Today -- March 8th -- is International Women's
Day.
This year,... the day has even greater significance
due to the worldwide MeToo movement, which
is reshaping Korean society -- a society that
has long been dominated by gender discrimination
and hierarchy.
Women are bravely sharing their experiences
of sexual assault and harassment,... and are
encouraging others to do the same.
Our Park Hee-jun has more on this social phenomenon,
and lays out what more needs to be done.
"It all began when a female prosecutor revealed
her experience of being sexually harassed
by her senior within the prosecution.
And now, a month into the movement,... a flood
of 'MeToo' accusations is continuing to spread
from industry to industry.
Social changes appear to be underway in Korea,
and people are hoping for a permanent transformation."
In the past, when Korean women spoke out about
their experiences,... they often faced a harsh
backlash despite them being the victims.
The male perpetrators, on the other hand,
were rarely punished and their crimes were
swept under the carpet -- meaning women felt
unable to let their voices be heard.
But the MeToo movement has paved the way for
women to boldly discuss their experiences.
"There have been many revelations of sexual
violence before.
But unlike the past, the public is generally
much more sympathetic to the victims.
People also recognize that it's not just a
problem within a certain organization or industry--
but society as a whole."
But most agree that there's still a long way
to go before the deep-rooted culture of sexual
violence in Korea is eradicated.
"Although a lot of women have come forward,...
this is just the tip of the iceberg.
The movement is still concentrated around
people and industries well-known to the public.
More women are suffering in far more serious
environments, and the movement needs to spread
to those areas as well."
Experts believe fundamental and systematic
change requires a shift in perception,...
that they say is best achieved through education.
In a legal-sense as well,... change is necessary.
"The law needs to be revised as it currently
requires victims to prove they were sexually
assaulted before they can take the case forward.
They are asked why they didn't resist at the
time,... when it's difficult to do so, due
to men's power or influence.
Because of that, predators rarely end up being
punished."
The MeToo movement is viewed as a significant
phenomenon that's smashing barriers in Korea's
patriarchal society.
However, for the MeToo movement to take a
big step forward,... experts say it's important
to carry on the momentum and give women more
confidence to let their voices be heard, so
the issue doesn't fizzle out in a few months.
Park Hee-jun, Arirang News.
