A press conference to announce the installation of a permanent outdoor Memorial honoring female victims of sexual and human trafficking during World War II at the Center for Civil and Human Rights took place on Thursday, Feb. 9 at noon. Former U.S. Congressman Mike Honda (CA 17th Dist.), a longtime advocate for sexual and human trafficking victims and the lead sponsor of U.S. House Resolution 121, will be speaking.
The Memorial, slated to be installed in late Spring, honors the approximately 200,000+ women and girls throughout Asia and the Dutch East Indies who were trafficked and sexually enslaved before and during World War II by the Japanese Imperial Army. Known as the “comfort women,” their tragedy is one of the largest known cases of human trafficking in the 20th century.
The Memorial project is a partnership between the Atlanta Comfort Women Memorial Task Force and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, who has agreed to serve as the site host. Roger Baik Kyu Kim serves as the Chair of the 24 member Task Force, and Congressman Mike Honda serves as the National Task Force Advisor. Georgia Public Service Commissioner Timothy Echols, who is a longtime advocate against sexual and human trafficking in Georgia, serves as the Task Force Statewide Advisor.
“Protecting the rights of women is paramount to why the National Center for Civil and Human Rights exists,” said Derreck Kayongo, CEO of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, “We are honored to memorialize these brave women who sacrificed so much.”
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