Women raise voices against sexual violence at largest-ever protest

SEOUL - Thousands of women gathered in Seoul on Saturday to protest against the "discriminatory treatment" of cases involving male and female victims of digital and online sexual violence, including spy-cam pornography.

The event was the biggest women's rights rally in the country's recent history, organizers said.

Dressed in red to "express their rage", the protesters, numbering about 12,000, chanted "Women, not just men, are also citizens (of South Korea)" near Hyehwa Station.

The event was organized in response to a recent incident that critics have characterized as emblematic of authorities' responses to sexual violence, which allegedly vary depending on the gender of victims or perpetrators.

In a recent case that stirred controversy, a female model was taken into custody after secretly taking a photo of her colleague while he was posing nude for university students, and then distributing it on a "radical feminist" website without his consent.

The authorities' prompt response - the suspect was arrested 12 days after the photograph was leaked, and the website, Womad, was quickly investigated by police - triggered a hail of criticism.

Rampant crimes

Protesters said that while online sexual violence against women has been rampant in the country, authorities have been indifferent and even negligent toward female victims.

According to 2016 data from the Korean National Police Agency, 5,184 sexual harassment cases including those that involved spy-cam footage - illegally uploaded video footage created using hidden cameras in public spaces such as public toilets - were reported that year. More than 80 percent of the victims were women.

Furthermore, more than 7,300 requests were made to remove revenge porn that was uploaded by victims' former partners.

The protesters also asked why it took the government 10 years to shut down SoraNet, a file-sharing site where users - mostly male - shared revenge and spy-cam porn, while its response to Womad was so quick.

On Wednesday, Gender Equality Minister Chung Hyun-back said at a gathering with reporters that she plans to speak with the heads of the police soon to stress women's concerns.

"I hope the police come up with a comprehensive plan," said one protester.

"I think we have a legitimate point, and there should be a stronger measure to deal with cyber sexual crimes against women. If justice can be served to a male victim so promptly, I don't know why the same hasn't been happening to so many female victims."

The Korea Herald/ann

(China Daily 05/22/2018 page10)