Victims’ Rights — for Foreigners?

26Nov08

As many of our readers know, victim’s rights, especially for foreigners, is a cause close to my heart and one that I am passionately working to improve in Korea.

Therefore, I was happy to read last week on Korea Beat last week about a Victim’s Rights Conference in Seoul.

In the days following my attack, the U.S. Embassy “worked” to ensure that the proper procedures were followed in the handling of my case.  However, it was only after being attacked that I found out that they were virtually powerless to do anything.  They informed me that unless there was clear and convincing evidence that I was targeted solely for being an American, they couldn’t step in on the police “investigation” or on any Korean laws.  Although the US couldn’t step in and force the Korean police to investigate, or the media to cover my case legally, I did expect the U.S. Embassy in Korea to protect my human rights by forcing pressure on the Korean government, media, and other authorities to assure that my rights as an innocent victim were honored.

Laying in the hospital after almost losing my life by the hands of a random many who broke into my home, I was away from my family, alone, scared, and unable to wrap my brain around what I just survived.  I asked for an English speaking (and foreign trained) psychologist but the only one that could be found was one whose English was barely discernible. I lay there while time passed without any DNA taken from my body, without any perpetrator sketch taken, and knew that no investigation was being done.  I lay there in the hospital, a proud survivor of a vicious attack but forced to be a victim by the horrible treatment I faced by being so ignored in the aftermath.  And, because the Embassy wouldn’t step in, perhaps afraid to “offend” their host country, I needed a voice to speak out for me.   And I had none.

Where the populace is powerless to petition a higher legislating or governing power to actually change laws, the power that we all have is to speak out and to ensure that there is a measure of accountability when clear mistreatment is shown to anyone.  When enough people speak out, someone higher up will listen.  If there is no one willing to ask questions, people will remain silent.  And where people remain silent, crime will continue to grow, there will be no accountability for authorities, and victims of crime will remain victims, instead of proud survivors.

During the past three years, I have tried to find any victim’s rights assistance centers in order to volunteer my help and implement programs I feel are necessary in a country where the foreign populace grows year by year.  Instead, calls and emails remained unanswered. 

In reading that Korea was to host a Victim’s Rights Conference, I was happy that some recognition for this issue and in seeing the Mr. Will Marling, the head of the largest victim’s rights non-profit in the USA, the National Victims Assistance Organization would be a key speaker, I sent him an email urging him to ask about victim assistance in Korea for the foreign population.

Mr. Marling responded, “I did ask about victim assistance for foreign victims. I was told that the same resources would be available since the crime was committed in Korea. I’ve attached their brochures in case it is of use to you.”

As you all can see, the brochure kcva is printed in Korean.  The hotline, I am sure, has no English speaker at the other end, and I am sure, that foreign crime victims who try to contact the center, would like myself, be ignored.  I, who speak Korean, who have written to this agency in Korea, has  been ignored for three years.  A non-Korean speaking foreigner’s plight to find help would still be equally desperate.  Mr. Marling, doesn’t yet get it, and it is sad.

Hopefully, more foreign crime victims will use whatever means necessary to get our voices heard not only by the Korean authorities, but also by our own government.

Filed under: crime, Social/Political Issue   |  2 Comments
Tags: Crime in South Korea, National Victims Assistance Organization, seoul, South Korea, Victim's Rights, Victim's Rights Conference