"Will I Make It Home Alive?" Female Celebrities Participating in the Ministry of Gender Equality Campaign Face Flood of Mockery [Brief!]

"Can We Return Safely?" Remarks Draw 'Victim Delusion' Criticism
Only 28% of Women Feel 'Society Is Safe'
Experts Say "Women's Anxiety Should Not Be Dismissed as 'Trivial'"

Singer Jeon Hyo-sung appearing in the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family's campaign video to eradicate gender-based violence. Photo by YouTube Capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] The attacks against singer Jeon Hyoseong, who appeared in the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family's (MOGEF) campaign video to eradicate gender-based violence, have crossed the line. The video uploaded on YouTube received a series of critical comments targeting Jeon Hyoseong, and recently, a men's group displayed a banner with Jeon Hyoseong's photo and mocking phrases during a rally.

They are opposing Jeon Hyoseong's statement expressing her conviction that "when I return home late at night, I worry whether I will safely get home today," calling it 'victim delusion.' They argue that there is no country with better public safety than Korea, and that such remarks unnecessarily incite excessive anxiety. However, there are also opinions that expressing fear and concern about sexual crimes is not something to be criticized.

The video featuring Jeon Hyoseong is part of MOGEF's 'Hope Picture Campaign,' designed to eradicate gender-based violence such as sexual violence, sexual harassment, digital sex crimes, dating violence, and stalking. Jeon Hyoseong appeared in the video focusing on dating violence, delivering a message to raise awareness about the seriousness of gender-based violence.

Jeon Hyoseong said, "Because of the lenient atmosphere toward (dating violence crimes), there is a risk that the cause of the crime might be blamed on the victim." She added, "A crime is clearly the fault of the perpetrator, and I think it is wrong for the victim to receive unnecessary scrutiny with comments like 'the reason that crime happened is because of you.'"

Regarding the 'safe society she dreams of,' she stated, "When it gets dark and I enter my home, I think, 'Will I safely get home alive today as well?' I believe a safe society is one where you can go wherever you want when you want, love when you want, and break up when you want."

Some netizens criticized her, saying things like "Are you suffering from victim delusion?" "There is no country with better public safety than Korea; if you don't like it, go to another country," and "She seems to be a feminist," accusing Jeon Hyoseong of inciting fear.

The New Men's Solidarity held a rally near Sinchon Station on the 13th, demanding the abolition of MOGEF, and displayed a banner printed with a photo of Jeon Hyoseong in stage costume and a mocking phrase saying, "Yeah, noona. You can't ride the femicoin."

'Safe Return Scout' helping ensure safety on night walks./Photo by Yonhap News

However, should expressing one's conviction about sexual crimes be subject to such attacks? The fact that many women have concerns and anxieties about potentially becoming victims of crime is confirmed by statistics.

According to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family's '2021 Statistics on Women's Lives,' only 27.6% of women felt that 'society is generally safe.' In particular, only 21.6% of women felt 'very or relatively safe' regarding 'crime safety.' This means that 7 to 8 out of 10 women live with the anxiety that they could be exposed to crime at any time. For men, the percentage who answered that 'society is safe' was 32.1%, showing a 10 percentage point gap compared to women's perception.

The number of crimes such as domestic violence, sexual violence, illegal filming, and dating violence has steadily increased compared to the past, and the victim gender ratio overwhelmingly favors women. This is why women's fear of crime should not be dismissed as 'delusion' or 'trivial.'

Lee Hyorin, Secretary General of the Korea Cyber Sexual Violence Response Center, pointed out, "Calling women's anxieties 'victim delusion' shows how trivialized and minimized crimes against women and the resulting anxieties have been." She added, "It is a tragic and clear form of violence that someone expressing their conviction in a country where individuals have the freedom to voice opinions becomes a target of slander and attacks."

She continued, "We need to identify the structural problems that cause women in general to feel anxious and build social consensus, rather than interpreting this as an attack against men. No one said it was intended as such. What is more problematic is that such absurd claims are being accepted as valid and reasonable opinions."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.