Silenced No More: Voices of 'Comfort Women'

by S.J. Friedman

“Silenced No 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 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
"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.'


CNN News Stream with Kristie Lu Harrowing stories of sex slavery during WW2


SCMP Book
"Friedman has made a valuable effort to address what remains a universal 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."


TIME OUT magazine Book
"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.'


SCMP 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."'


Author Interview on RTHK's Morning


Apple Daily (Largest Chinese newspaper in Hong Kong):


Territory media (Mainland China):


Interviews in Creation TV, Straits Times & more

Genres: History, Nonfiction, War

420 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 5, 2015

Reviews

[Toni · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow, I hate to give this book 2 stars but the writing is horrible. It’s literally just the author's unedited notes or “cut & paste” from other research material. The footnotes are half research, half Wikipedia. There is no format. There is no editing -things are repeated and repeated with no rhyme or reason sometimes. It's like she just put everything down on paper so that the words and the stories were set free in some sort of “collective guilt” purge.

*any notes I highlighted are purely for my curiosity and my research for facts*

There are so many unsupported, unconfirmed and slanting arguments being thrown around in this book and it is definitely 100% author biased. I gonna make a bold assertion and say this is a self-paid and self-published book – because I can’t find a legitimate website for Freedom Publishers…I did research the author and she’s very active concerning this subject matter. Her website is current within 30 days of me looking into her bio/activities.

https://sylviayufriedman.com/

Her personal views and her religious views are splattered over all the woefully lopsided COMMENTARY. In fact, page 242, she states “I was apprehensive that I might find out something about the Korean soldiers in the Japanese army that might confirm that my great-great uncle was involved in some aspect of the comfort women system.” Such an odd statement and it’s placement is so peculiar - yet so exposing?! The author is Korean.

There are interesting topics in reading this lengthy diatribe of fact & “maybe” some fiction. She talked to many sexual survivors and plainly included their words/stories – which amounted to being chosen for what she needed. I would bet my entire paycheck that she did not include their full statements/stories. Sorely needed context also!!

She talked to only 3 Japanese soldiers – of which 2 never raped anyone. (re: maybe some fiction) Their limited stories result in her total forgiveness and religious forgiveness for their “crimes”. She talks about how they look, how they dress and how they were overcome with their soul cleanse. Such an uninformative and reckless move by the author.

She covers sexual survivors from Korea, China, Philippines, Indonesia but not none from Japan or of Japanese descent? Why not?

She constant throws out the comparison between the Holocaust & Nazi’s…but by the end of the book she lacks credibility & trustworthiness…I felt like it all became a “Peter & the wolf” scenario. But initially, the comparison is likely.

The last couple of chapters are just so excruciating – just her personal views. While I understand and sympathize, I truly lost sincerity for her authority to recount.

If there are some takeaways I can state, this author (and her spouse) seem deeply committed to stopping human trafficking, bringing awareness for military sexual slaves (only female) and that she attempts to paint a narrative worth reading with haphazard results. Read with an eye to seek the truth & honesty.

Do not recommend.

[Poppy || Monster Lover]

This book has valuable information but the writing is just atrocious. DNF at 20%

[James Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very detailed book about an atrocity that took place during World War II but has never really received the attention it deserves. This is when the Japanese military forcibly captured women and made used them as sex slaves for the soldiers.

The women were repeatedly raped. Some committed suicide. All of the survivors were scarred mentally for the rest of their lives. Yet the men who were responsible for the entire thing were never punished. The Japanese government has never given the women the level of apologies they deserve.

This book goes into all the details and be warned some of them might turn your stomach.

[KaytElisabet · Rating 5 out of 5]

S.J. Friedman’s Silenced No More: Voices of “Comfort Women” stands as one of the most comprehensive journalistic investigations into the lived experiences of the women enslaved in the Imperial Japanese military’s system of sexual violence before and during World War II. Through a decade of interviews, transnational research, and survivor-centered storytelling, Friedman produces a work that is at once historical documentation, trauma testimony, and a meditation on justice and reconciliation.

[Jennifer Greene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

Historically relevant content, these unimaginable stories were well told, not sensationalized. Stylistically, somewhat redundant, but I enjoyed it all the same.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.