Silenced No More: Voices of 'Comfort Women' by [Sylvia S.J. Friedman]
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Silenced No More: Voices of 'Comfort Women' Kindle Edition
by Sylvia S.J. Friedman (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
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Print Length : 420 pages
Publisher : Freedom Publishers (August 5, 2015)
Language: : English
Customer Reviews: 4.6 out of 5 stars 25 ratings
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“Silenced No More: Voices of Comfort Women” weaves the unforgettable stories of the suffering voiceless with themes of forgiveness, conciliation, and unflagging hope, together with the author’s own investigative journey into a tapestry that will open your eyes to one of the largest human rights tragedies in the 20th century: hundreds of thousands of girls and women were trafficked into Imperial Japanese military sex slavery before and during World War II. History infects the present and determines our future. It is this untold history that the author explores. The author, S.J. (Sylvia Yu) Friedman, argues that this little known historical atrocity against women must be exposed to encourage a grassroots reconciliation process to begin in Asia – for the healing of both the victims and perpetrators alike, as well as for the nations involved. Closure of the war wounds is urgently needed.
Friedman is an Asia-based award-winning human rights journalist, author, filmmaker and philanthropy advisor. As a philanthropy advisor, she has directed funds to non-profit organisations in Asia to fight human trafficking since 2005.
CNN opinion article by Friedman:
"We need to also learn from this chapter of history. This form of exploitation and abuse didn't end with World War II. It continues today, in Iraq and Syria, where women are enslaved in armed conflicts.'
http://edition.cnn.com/2015/12/30/opinions/japan-korea-china-comfort-women/
CNN News Stream with Kristie Lu Stout: Harrowing stories of sex slavery during WW2
http://edition.cnn.com/videos/tv/2015/12/30/exp-ns-stout-comfort-women-stories.cnn
SCMP Book review:
"Friedman has made a valuable effort to address what remains a universal problem: she points out that today nearly 36 million victims of human trafficking suffer in silence as victims of sex slavery or forced labour. While some may consider it incendiary, the most important message to take from this book is one of hope for peace."
http://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/books/article/1860062/book-review-silenced-no-more-gives-voice-comfort-women-japan#
TIME OUT magazine Book review:
"Local author and philanthropist Friedman... weaves together the harrowing stories of women forced into sex slavery during the Japanese occupation. A former journalist working in Canada, Beijing and Hong Kong, she has dedicated 10 years to travelling the world and meeting with survivors and activists for her gut-wrenching book.'
http://www.timeout.com.hk/books/features/74009/interview-sj-friedman-silenced-no-more-voices-of-comfort-women.html
SCMP article: Time running out to hear comfort women's stories, says Hong Kong author
'Their horrific stories made a deep impact on the former human rights reporter and motivated her to write a book. "It's an issue of historical memory," she said, noting how many Japanese students in past generations never learned about the brothels. "So my goal is to lay a foundation of truth so that we can begin a reconciliation process."'
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1859793/time-running-out-hear-comfort-womens-stories-says-hong-kong-author
Author Interview on RTHK's Morning Brew:
http://programme.rthk.hk/channel/radio/programme.php?name=radio3/morning_brew&d=2015-08-07&m=episode
Apple Daily (Largest Chinese newspaper in Hong Kong):
http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/realtime/news/20150918/54221519
Territory media (Mainland China):
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzA4MzA2MTMzMA==&mid=2652601585&idx=1&sn=b166f1882559786c2d413092a63cdd52&chksm=8413e3ccb3646adab7da27890f0968e7e6177b64f20f63e5f45bf76171bcea5a153eab8d20d6&mpshare=1&scene=1&srcid=1213dms3Pg2JdBRjcsoZlIA9#rd
Interviews in Creation TV, Straits Times & more
› Visit Amazon's S.J. Friedman Page
S.J. Friedman
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Biography
Sylvia Yu Friedman (pen name is S.J. Friedman) is an award-winning filmmaker and investigative journalist, international speaker, and writer. She is the author of two books, Silenced No More: Voices of Comfort Women, the only journalistic account of historical Japanese military sex slavery during WWII, and Heart and Soul: The Life Story of Augustus Chao.
A current affairs documentary producer, former TV anchor, and advisor to philanthropists, Sylvia was among the Top 100 Human Trafficking & Slavery Influence Leaders List in 2017 by Assent Compliance. She won the prestigious 2013 International Human Rights Press Award for her three-part documentary series on human trafficking in China, Hong Kong, and Thailand.
After ten years of intensive research and interviewing elderly survivors, academics, lawyers and activists in different nations, Sylvia is considered a global expert on “comfort women” military sex slavery. She’s been interviewed or featured on the BBC, CNN, SCMP, the Globe and Mail, CGTN, among others, and covered widely in the Chinese media. Sylvia is a SheSource expert of the Women’s Media Center, founded by Jane Fonda and Gloria Steinem, and is listed in a database of women experts who serve as a resource for journalists.
Since 2005, Sylvia has managed and directed millions of dollars to major humanitarian portfolios impacting at least more than one million people. This work has given her access to many influential networks in different countries.
Sylvia led a Hong Kong-based movement against human trafficking that involved more than 120 churches, NGOs, and organizations and later expanded to other nations like Malaysia, South Africa, and the U.S.
Sylvia is married to Matthew Friedman, a leading global expert on slavery, the CEO of The Mekong Club, and former U.N. and U.S. diplomat. Together in the summer of 2016 they gave 113 presentations in 27 U.S. cities. Matthew is a producer of two award-winning films; he advised the film Sold (2014). The couple works as a screenwriting & producing team.
CNN opinion article by Sylvia Yu Friedman (S.J. Friedman):
"We need to also learn from this chapter of history. This form of exploitation and abuse didn't end with World War II. It continues today, in Iraq and Syria, where women are enslaved in armed conflicts.'
http://edition.cnn.com/2015/12/30/opinions/japan-korea-china-comfort-women/
CNN News Stream with Kristie Lu Stout: Harrowing stories of sex slavery during WW2
http://edition.cnn.com/videos/tv/2015/12/30/exp-ns-stout-comfort-women-stories.cnn
SCMP Book review by Tessa Chan:
"Friedman has made a valuable effort to address what remains a universal problem: she points out that today nearly 36 million victims of human trafficking suffer in silence as victims of sex slavery or forced labour. While some may consider it incendiary, the most important message to take from this book is one of hope for peace."
http://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/books/article/1860062/book-review-silenced-no-more-gives-voice-comfort-women-japan#
TIME OUT magazine Book review:
"Local author and philanthropist Sylvia SJ Friedman talks to Hannah Hodson about an issue often overlooked when remembering the horrors of World War II. In her book Silenced No More: Voices of Comfort Women, she weaves together the harrowing stories of women forced into sex slavery during the Japanese occupation. A former journalist working in Canada, Beijing and Hong Kong, she has dedicated 10 years to travelling the world and meeting with survivors and activists for her gut-wrenching book.'
http://www.timeout.com.hk/books/features/74009/interview-sj-friedman-silenced-no-more-voices-of-comfort-women.html
SCMP article: Time running out to hear comfort women's stories, says Hong Kong author
'Their horrific stories made a deep impact on the former human rights reporter and motivated her to write a book. "It's an issue of historical memory," she said, noting how many Japanese students in past generations never learned about the brothels. "So my goal is to lay a foundation of truth so that we can begin a reconciliation process."'
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1859793/time-running-out-hear-comfort-womens-stories-says-hong-kong-author
CNN.com quoted S.J. Friedman: South Korea, Japan reach agreement on 'comfort women'
http://edition.cnn.com/2015/12/28/asia/south-korea-japan-comfort-women/
S.J. Friedman's interview on RTHK's Morning Brew with Phil Whelan:
http://programme.rthk.hk/channel/radio/programme.php?name=radio3/morning_brew&d=2015-08-07&m=episode
Apple Daily (Largest Chinese newspaper in Hong Kong):
http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/realtime/news/20150918/54221519
Creation TV story (Chinese TV channel):
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mcAGuZdOEKw&feature=youtu.be
KR Times newspaper (Chinese newspaper):
http://www.krt.com.hk/modules/news/article.php?storyid=12811
Inspiring Woman Leader Spotlight of Friedman by Megan Foo:
https://womenleadnepal.wordpress.com/2015/09/26/inspiring-woman-leader-spotlight-sylvia-friedman/
The Straits Times newspaper (Singapore): Helping to bring reconciliation to comfort women
http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/helping-to-bring-reconciliation-to-comfort-women
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comfort women sexual slavery comfort stations must read women in world friedman japanese government important war personal human japan korean military powerful sex soldiers subject korea
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Top reviews from the United States
Ecualegacy
5.0 out of 5 stars The "Final Solution" of Demand For Prostitution
Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2016
Verified Purchase
Just finished reading this book about the "comfort women" of WWII. Terrible legacy: as many as 200,000 women and girls suffered unimaginably at the hands of the Imperial Japanese. 70 years later and the Japanese government has still refused to properly own up to these crimes.
What happened exactly? The Imperial Japanese troops were used to having access to prostitutes--such was a culturally accepted thing according to the soldiers interviewed in the book. When the demand couldn't be met, the military organized perhaps the biggest sex trafficking scheme in human history. They both tricked and abducted literal truckloads of women (you can google archival footage of this) from the territories they conquered (especially the Koreans and Chinese) and forced them to service the soldiers in "comfort stations" near the front lines.
The men could plainly see the anguish of their victims, but were admittedly ignorant of the girls' circumstances. They were too preoccupied with satisfying their urges to care.
Among the other factors that kept them from seeing what was before them: 1) They had paid for the sex (entitlement and devaluation of women). 2) The comfort stations had been set up by the military (official sanction). 3) The victims weren't Japanese (racism). So the men had no moral objections to using these girls, despite the fact that the women often cried as they endured the visiting soldiers.
Lessons learned? Many, but I would highlight that this doesn't reflect well on the idea that societies can sanction prostitution without terrible consequences somewhere down the line. Certainly, all societies must foster a high value for the human dignity of women if they want to prevent something like this from happening again.
I applaud Sylvia Friedman for taking on this heart-wrenching nightmare of a topic. Excellent job. God bless her and God bless those she seeks to help with this book. I highly recommended that every adult reads this.
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3 people found this helpful
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Joseph Woodard
5.0 out of 5 stars Author communicates a very real connection with those who have suffered
Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2016
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Decades have passed since Japan shut down its "comfort stations", which provided free sex for its military by enslaving hundreds of thousands of young people. But there still has not been justice or closure for those who were enslaved.
I kept thinking while reading, "If they were men, the world would listen. If they were white, the world would listen. But no...they're Asian women. The world has chosen to ignore them."
Friedman has given them a voice. Please listen.
6 people found this helpful
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Barbara D. Padron
5.0 out of 5 stars Heart breaking
Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2019
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You know war is terrible where ever it happens. But this is a true story of what happen to hundreds of women in Korea during the invasion of Japan. If you like history and want to empower women all over the world. It's must to read. You will cry and feel the shame that is still very touchy subject in Korea.
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Stephen Wineteer
5.0 out of 5 stars Comfort Women unveiled.
Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2015
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Excellent material for a class I teach.
7 people found this helpful
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J
5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful and sad, S
Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2016
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Powerful and sad, S.J. Friedman provides a voice to those who have far too long suffered. Especially in light of the recent events regarding the comfort women issue, this book is engaging, informative and is a must read. Highly recommended.
4 people found this helpful
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Menda
4.0 out of 5 stars I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and could share the burden of these ...
Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2016
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This is a very interesting book, with lots of stories of personal encounters with the Comfort Women by the Writer. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and could share the burden of these women that had gone through such hard time so many years ago, most of these women's lives were never the same and never could be the same after the traumatic experience - but they bravely borne the suffering, it was also interesting to hear how some of the Japanese soldiers now in their senior age viewed their visits to these Comfort Stations and how it led to different kinds of unexpected violence towards the innocent. I hope these women get the apology they waited so long for before they depart from this earth. They deserve it.
2 people found this helpful
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Reader
4.0 out of 5 stars The World Needs This
Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2015
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This book isn't perfect, but it's very powerful. Friedman has traveled the world interviewing victims of Japanese sexual slavery during WWII; and she's not only published their collective stories, but she's also produced a work pointing readers toward forgiveness and restoration. Recommended.
5 people found this helpful
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swoosherz
5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging, probing book which chronicles a difficult but important ...
Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2016
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Engaging, probing book which chronicles a difficult but important piece of modern history. Through remartable interviews, vivid stories, and her own personal discovery, Friedman delineates the complex fabric which surrounded the phenomenon of comfort women in World War II. However, she does not end there but draws parallels to modern-day oppression and slavery -- and what steps are needed to produce genuine, lasting reconciliation. A must-read for those passionate for social justice and all looking to prevent repeating the mistakes of the past.
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Jax
5.0 out of 5 stars MUST READ...
Reviewed in Canada on November 8, 2015
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Extraordinary reporting that exposes a largely unknown part of Asian war history and one of the biggest human rights tragedies of the 20th century. It's also a great tool for those interested in ending modern day slavery.
I highly recommend this book.
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