The Imperial Japanese army occupied several countries and territories during WWII, including then Malaya. It was common for Japanese soldiers to kidnap teenage girls to force into sexual slavery, calling them “comfort women.” During this time, my grandmother cut her hair short and dressed as a boy to avoid attention when leaving the house to run errands. The number of abducted girls is estimated to be around 200,000, and could be as high as 400,000, with 90% dying in captivity.