The Women Human Rights Commission of Korea - Case Study Example

RE-Visioning Gender Introduction Worldwide there are many organizations dealing with gender issues. One such organization is the Korean activist organization, called the Women’s Human Rights Commission of Korea (WHRCK). The organization WHRCK was launched in November 2005 with the promulgation of an Act on the Prevention of Prostitution and Protection of Victims in September 2004. The goal of the organization, the Center for Women’s human rights, which was later changed to WHRCK, was to expand the organization horizon of safeguarding women’s human rights. The organization has the backing of the Ministry of Equality and Family (WHRCK). Goals The WHRCK is striving towards a leveled society where respect for human values is preserved irrespective of gender. The purpose is to remove all kinds of violence against women including prostitution and provide support to aggrieved and oppressed women through its support infrastructure activities of holding awareness campaigns, education, research, and further expansion of the support infrastructure (WHRCK). Key Agendas The major agenda of the WHRCK for the year 2010 has been to complete the project on STOP by supporting programs and institutions for victims of juvenile prostitution, commissioning of “electronic Database System for Accomplishment of Sexual Harassment Prevention in Public Sector", commissioning the administrative work for "Central Institute for Victims of Women and Children" by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, holding training for prostitution control counselors, holding exhibitions for the self-sufficiency of prostitutes, holding debates on at risk children and women from online prostitution, women’s human rights, social work, evaluation of support facilities for the victims of prostitution. In June 2010, the WHRCK published the 1st issue of its official journal on women and human rights among a number of other support initiatives (WHRCK). Strategies Striving to achieve its aims, the WHRCK has adopted a number of strategies involving all stakeholders. Strategies include taking the related government department, the Ministry of Equality and Family, along in all its welfare in initiatives. It has the active support of the ministry. The WHRCK provides all details of the relevant laws on the eradication of prostitution on its website, providing knowledge and information of the law and policy like the Prostitution Prevention Acts and Protection of Victims. Detailed provisions of the Act include provisions of the legal bases on preventive education, support facilities, medical expenses, and cooperation with police when safeguarding the victims of prostitution. Providing detailed information on the legal aspects of the problem helps in initiating action against the culprits (WHRCK). The website throws light on a number of other related Acts, which include Acts on the Punishment of Sexual Crimes and Protection, Women’s Development, Gender Discrimination Prevention and Relief Act and others. Such publishing means create awareness among masses on the women’s rights dissuading corrupt elements of society from indulging in criminal acts with women. The government machinery gets revamped to support the women in prostitution in various ways (WHRCK). Activities of the WHRCK are strategized for creating a network of facilities and counseling centers. Workshops are organized for better cooperation among stakeholders. Taking along experts of the social causes like prostitution, a global network of anti-prostitution organizations has been established. Action strategies also include publishing of promotional material, holding surveys on sex and sexual culture, publishing magazines on women and human rights, holding film competition and film festivals to eradicate prostitution and creating awareness (WHRCK). WHRCK also provides relevant and specialized training to activists, training courses to counselors, and capacity-building programs for the functionaries of the organization. Training also covers administrative and accounting aspects of workers to enhance their skills. Overall status of the prostitution industry is researched and analyzed for taking anti-prostitution measures. WHRCK analyzes the relevance of support programs, develops self-sufficiency programs, provides vocational trainings to past victims, and encourages transformation in social perspectives on the past victims of prostitution (WHRCK). Top functionaries of the organization plan strategies for taking the organization towards the attainment of the goal of eradicating prostitution through different actions run with the help of private and public initiatives and achieved with the dedication and strenuous work of the activists of the WHRCK (WHRCK). Successful Campaigns – Examples Since its launch, WHRCK has initiated a number of campaigns successfully such as confronting online prostitution, developing new on-site support strategies for minors at risk outcomes, holding video competitions, and holding Round Table discussion among other similar initiatives. One such campaign was a survey on the topic ‘Frequent use of Internet pornography leads users to increased tolerance and experience of prostitution,’ the outcomes of which were released by the WHRCK (WHRCK). Example in Detail It was a survey on the sex culture of Korean youth. Survey was on juvenile sex culture taking two months. The main theme of the survey was impression of internet pornography on the youth’s perspectives on sex, their sex approach, and how to get control over sex trafficking in youth (WHRCK). The major aim of the survey was checking exposure to internet pornography, its outcomes, and youth’s changing perspectives on sex, presence of prostitution and preventive steps. Participants in the survey were middle and high school students. Out of total strength of 2,894 participants, 2,538 belonged to normal category while 356 were delinquents from six states, namely Seoul, Gyunggi, Gangawon, Chungcheung, Jeunlla and Gyungsang participating in the research (WHRCK). As per the survey results, about 80 percent of the participants had viewed online pornography. About 48 percent saw the pornographic content before they were 13 years of age. Most of the respondents stated that their viewing of pornographic content was not planned by them; the abusive sites made contact with them through email spam messages and pop-up windows (WHRCK). The research revealed crucial findings on the participants’ involvement in prostitution. It was found that 3.6 percent of the total surveyed students were implicit in prostitution and the percentage of delinquent youths involved in prostitution was 10.1 of the total. At the same time, there were various causes given for their involvement like friendly pressure, economic and psychological reasons. Money, friends, and curiosity to perform the sexual act were the main reasons of children involvement in prostitution. All things for arranging related stuff were planned through online chatting (WHRCK). Results indicated that rate of juvenile prostitution was very high in Korea. A good percentage (66.9) said no to sex trafficking while others were divided in their opinion, saying ‘not sure’, it depends’, ‘yes’. About 30 percent showed their inclination to accept the offer of sex trafficking. Anti-prostitution education was quoted as a major support by respondents (WHRCK). The survey proved the fact that online pornography had greatly affected the attitude, perspective, behavior, and prostitution among the youth. The survey has been very helpful to the WHRCK in strategizing its future course of action for controlling prostitution and assisting juvenile victims (WHRCK). Viability of WHRCK WHRCK has been very active on the front of targeting the issues from different angles. It has initiated, planned, and strategized many programs offering practical actions and supportive role that has brought the organization in the limelight in the line of such global organizations. As its logo suggests, WHRCK has created hope, harmony, and an environment of protection and co-existence. The sheer transparency and enthusiasm of the Group categorizes it the leader in its line of reformation of the society (WHRCK). In the context of preventing prostitution, men’s role is very crucial. Until they support the cause, no social group can succeed in its aim of preventing prostitution. Only the active support of men can reduce the contractions, as Hooks stated, “Until men share equal responsibility for struggling to end sexism, the feminist movement will reflect the very sexist contradictions we wish to eradicate…. In particular, men have a tremendous contribution to make…. the area of exposing, confronting, opposing, and transforming the sexism of their male peers” (555-563). Onlookers should take the initiative and interfere to help the victims. For that they should be enrolled to make such a commitment. They should view victims not the cause of the problem. They should be provided such opportunities to view their role models who exhibit praiseworthy behavior (Banyard et al. 69). There is further need to differentiate the terms “sex’ and ‘rape’, as one out of twelve respondents had been a part of committing not sex but rape in legal terms. 84 percent did not view their act illegal (Koss et al. 1182-1197). The gendering process of men needs to be analyzed for their neutral concern on such social problems like prostitution, juvenile trafficking and violence towards women. The treachery in their masculinity requires a new perspective to lead society on the path of reformation. There is need to find new means of gender interaction of expressing their feelings by taking some guidance from how feminists behave and react. At a higher level, values need a transformation in perception, which would ease the work load of groups such as WHRCK. Works Cited Banyard, V. L., Plante, E. G., & Moynihan, M. M. “Bystander Education: Bringing a Broader Community Perspective to Sexual Violence Prevention.” Journal of Community Psychology 32(2004): 61-79. Hooks, b. Mens Lives. 6th ed. Eds. Men: Comrades in struggle. Ed. Kimmel, M. S. & Messner, M. A. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon. 2004. 555-563. Koss, M. P., Gidycz, C. A., & Wisniewski, N. “The Scope of Rape: Incidence and Prevalence of Sexual Aggression and Victimization in a National Sample of Higher Education Students.” Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 19 (1987):1182-1197. Women’s Human Rights Commission of Korea. 2 December 2010. Women’s Human Rights Commission of Korea (WHRCK). 2 December 2010 Read More