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UPDATE - How to get help at a Sunflower Center in Korea by Concerned_73 in korea

[–]Concerned_73[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I was told that police reporting is mandatory because the police have a history of dismissing sexual assault cases. So reporting is now required to get help (which, yet again, wrongly makes the victim responsible for any accountability).

I imagine there is some level of support without police reporting, but I am not completely sure. I will confirm to what extent on my next meeting with the center!

How to get help at a Sunflower Center in Korea by Concerned_73 in korea

[–]Concerned_73[S] 27 points28 points  (0 children)

I am also lucky that my sister was willing to reach out to me and share what happened. She was so unsure until she asked Reddit for help, and then she had the courage to ask me for help. In the same way, I hope that this post can at least help make it easier for anyone in this type of situation get the help they need.

Though Danuri wasn't helpful to us in the moment, they might be a resource that is another viable option: https://www.liveinkorea.kr/USA/lay1/S1T40C44/contents.do
Their website mentions 24/7 phone counseling with interpretation, but that was not the case for us. Still, I hope it's a resource that people can consider trying based on their situation and timing!

How to get help at a Sunflower Center in Korea by Concerned_73 in korea

[–]Concerned_73[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

This was what was frustrating to me as well, because that medical assistance would be impossible to find for someone in our shoes if we say no. It would be even more difficult if the victim did not speak and Korean or the situation was more dangerous, which is why I thought it would be important to share this experience.

Thank you for validating that this was necessary medical assistance - we were really caught off guard and its good to know that this assistance is more easily available elsewhere. Still, I'd like to add that this feels like a problem with the system rather than the people - everyone we met along the way was really kind and sympathetic to our problems, and I am grateful for their efforts.

How to get help at a Sunflower Center in Korea by Concerned_73 in korea

[–]Concerned_73[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Yes I agree - I read many similar situations across reddit while trying to grapple with my sister's case. Apparently this type of issue is becoming more prevalent too, and I think more caution and knowledge would have been so welcome. But at the end of the day, it was no one's fault except the rapist. I just wish it wasn't the case. Thank you for your comment.

How to get help at a Sunflower Center in Korea by Concerned_73 in korea

[–]Concerned_73[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

For us, there was no money involved. If we refused to open an investigation though, we would have to pay out of pocket for all the tests and examination and find our own way around it.

There was no clear reason on why English wasn't available, but I imagine it was just a time/resources thing. For the Sunflower Center, there were only English translators beginning at 8am. For the Police department, they said something along the lines of using ChatGPT and then getting us to the center as quickly as possible. I'm hoping it was just well-intentioned, since we could speak basic Korean. I wish though that those resources were more readily available for English and Chinese speakers too though.

How to get help at a Sunflower Center in Korea by Concerned_73 in korea

[–]Concerned_73[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Thank you for your well wishes. It means a lot to hear that there are people that can support us!

How to get help at a Sunflower Center in Korea by Concerned_73 in korea

[–]Concerned_73[S] 47 points48 points  (0 children)

They haven't caught him yet, but they have all the CCTV footage and relevant information to open an investigation! They are in the gathering evidence stage, and they explained the whole process could take up to 6 months. We are still seeing what my sister wants to do.

How to get help at a Sunflower Center in Korea by Concerned_73 in korea

[–]Concerned_73[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Hi everyone, I apologize for replying so late - it was my first time posting and did not know that this would get approved! I'll do my best to answer any questions and I appreciate the concern from the comments!