Definition

1. Noun:
   • A euphemistic term for a woman who was forced into sexual slavery, specifically by the Imperial Japanese military during World War II: The term "comfort woman" refers to a victim of a system of institutionalized sexual exploitation. It is a historical term for a survivor of this war crime.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • She testified about her life as a comfort woman during the war.
  • Historical records detail the systematic establishment of "comfort stations" where comfort women were held.
  • The term "comfort woman" is now widely recognized as a euphemism for a victim of military sexual slavery.

Advanced Usage

• The term is primarily used in historical, academic, and legal contexts to discuss the specific war crimes committed by Imperial Japan.
• It is often placed in quotation marks in modern writing to indicate its euphemistic nature and to underscore the brutality it obscures.
• "Comfort women" (plural): The term is most commonly used in the plural form to refer to the collective group of victims.
  • The "comfort women" issue remains a point of diplomatic tension.

Variants and Related Words

• "Comfort station" (noun): A euphemistic term for the military brothels where the women were imprisoned.
• Military sexual slavery (noun phrase): The contemporary, direct term for the crime, increasingly used instead of the euphemism "comfort woman."

Synonyms

• Forced prostitute: A more direct, descriptive term, though it lacks the specific historical context.
• Sex slave: A general term that applies to the condition of the victims.
• Survivor of Japanese military sexual slavery: A precise and respectful modern descriptor.

Related Phrases

• "Comfort women" issue / system: Refers to the historical event and its ongoing political and social repercussions.
  • The government issued a formal apology regarding the comfort women system.

Important Notes

• The term "comfort woman" is a historical euphemism. In contemporary discourse, more direct and accurate terms like "survivor of military sexual slavery" are often preferred to acknowledge the gravity of the crime without using the language of the perpetrators.
• Its use is almost exclusively tied to the context of the Asia-Pacific War (World War II).

Noun

1. a woman forced into prostitution for Japanese servicemen during World War II
   • she wrote a book about her harsh experiences as a comfort woman