Taipei Women's Rescue Foundation
婦女救援基金會
The Taipei Women's Rescue Foundation (TWRF) is committed to respecting the value of life and pursuing social justice. We focus on supporting women and children who are oppressed by gender-based violence and neglected by society. Through advocacy and the promotion of social reform, we empower marginalized women and children to achieve self-reliance and autonomy, ultimately enhancing their rights.
We center our work on the needs of survivors, actively promoting gender-sensitive services and a three-tiered approach to the prevention of gender-based violence. This includes providing secondary and tertiary rescue and counseling services for sexually exploited girls, former Taiwanese "comfort women" survivors, victims of intimate partner violence, human trafficking victims, children and adolescents exposed to domestic violence, victims of digital sexual violence, and adults traumatized by witnessing domestic violence during childhood. We also advocate for the enactment of gender-based violence laws, promote public awareness and education, and have established the Ama Museum—Taiwan's first museum dedicated to "comfort women"—as part of our primary prevention efforts.
TWRF's work spans rescue, services, legislation, and education, all aimed at protecting the rights of women and children and upholding social justice. Our goal is not only to assist victims but also to drive legal and educational reforms to foster a more gender-equal society.
In 1987 and 1988, the discovery of numerous young girls being sold by their parents into prostitution spurred a group of dedicated lawyers, scholars, and social workers to action. Their efforts led to the founding of the Taiwan Women’s Rescue Association in August 1987. By September 1988, the organization was officially registered as the Taipei Women’s Rescue Foundation (TWRF), with the mission of rescuing exploited women, providing legal consultation and services, offering life counseling and education, rebuilding self-confidence and independence, and assisting women in reintegrating into their families and society.
On January 10, 1988, TWRF, in collaboration with the Awakening Foundation, the “Rainbow Project” of the Presbyterian Church etc. organized the "1988 March to Rescue Child Prostitutes." This march not only served as a profound social movement that educated Taiwanese society but also marked a turning point in media attention to women’s issues in Taiwan, leading to more positive responses and coverage of the women's movement.
In 1992, TWRF established a hotline for former "comfort women" and, under government commission, began investigating and verifying the claims of those who came forward. Since then, we have participated in numerous international conferences, joining forces with South Korea, the Philippines etc. to pressure the Japanese government for an apology and compensation. Additionally, we have urged the Taiwanese government to provide appropriate support and welfare to the women who were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military.
In the 1990s, Taiwanese society began to recognize the problem of domestic violence within marriages. Given that many abused women had no support, TWRF expanded its services in 1996 to include victims of domestic violence, despite financial difficulties. In 1997, we established Taiwan's first domestic violence hotline, offering legal assistance, counseling, medical and court accompaniment, shelter referrals, and other services to help women escape marital violence.
The Ama Museum was founded on the basis of the "comfort women" human rights movement. The museum preserves, researches, and exhibits historical materials related to the human rights of Taiwan's "comfort women." It not only houses the life stories of 59 Taiwanese "comfort women" who endured great suffering but also serves as Taiwan's first multifunctional social education base advocating for peace and women's human rights.
