Jugun Ianfu: The Construction of Students’ Awareness on Gender

In 1993, the Minister of Social Affairs of the Republic Indonesia, Inten Suweno, issued a mandate to find the victims of Japanese colonialism. One of the Japanese colonialism victims was women who became Jugun Ianfu (comfort women). The practice of Jugun Ianfu in Indonesia was undercover, but it legalized by the Japanese colonial government with a reason to meet the sexual needs of Japanese army in their colonies. In Japanese colonialism era, women considered as the second line and their body was free to use for meeting the sexual desire. Even, many of Jugun Ianfu had physical injuries due to the cruelty of the Japanese army when having a sexual intercourse. The Jugun Ianfu should observe as a study on gender, especially in the educational field where the reproduction of knowledge happens. The lack of awareness in the students on the issue of gender equality brings about the reasons on the implementation of history learning using the sources of Jugun Ianfu. The students’ gender awareness built when they analyze the sources of Jugun Ianfu and write an essay in a gender perspective. The discourses constructed by the students on the history of Jugun Ianfu are different. There are considerations that the history of Jugun Ianfu is categorizes as a sexual violence, gender injustice and human rights violation.