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| Gim Young-seo, the author of "Even Tears Shine in the Light" |
By Kim Se-jeong
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As her book, "Even Tears Shine in the Light," detailed Gim's experience of being raped by her biological father, she eschewed all publicity associated with the book's publication.
In March this year, a revised version of the book came out, and this time she decided to reveal her name.
"The perpetrator died last year and I felt a huge burden lifted off me. Then, I thought I could do it (revealing my name)." she said during a recent interview with The Korea Times. She called her father "the perpetrator" throughout the interview.
Her horrendous experience started when she was a fifth grader. The book whose English version isn't yet available in bookstores details repeated rapes, how she eventually managed to escape and how she is healing herself from the experience.
In one chapter, she narrates about her suspected pregnancy and how her father made up a fake story for her to tell a doctor.
"If you're pregnant, yes, let's say that on your way home from the math competition, that you were raped by a stranger. I think it would be safe to say it would have happened around then."
In another chapter, the author recounts how the father arranged a wedding ritual with Gim, asking her to think of her mother as her "sister-in-law" from then on.
All that happened while her family, especially her sick mother, remained unaware for some time. But other family members who sensed something was going on turned a blind.
Any resistance from Gim toward her father was met with beatings and confinement. In 1994 as she entered university, she made escape attempts. "Starting university, I felt like a grown-up and being able to do something. And I couldn't live like that."
After several failed attempts, she finally managed to escape from him in Namwon where her father had taken her in 1994.
"I picked up the telephone receiver in the motel room and whispered to the motel owner, 'I've been kidnapped. Please help,'" she recalled. "And the owner called the police right away instead of being suspicious and hesitant."
As her father was dealing with a detective who arrived at the motel room, she ran away and got a ride to a police station nearby. With the help of police officers there, she managed to get her father arrested. He was tried and sent to prison for seven years.
"In retrospect, I can't be more thankful to the motel owner. What would have happened if the owner who was a male didn't call the police?"
Finally free, she continued her studies to become a counselor. Now, she is a dedicated counselor helping victims of online sex crimes and other people who need psychological support.
The last time she saw the father was when he was in a coma in a hospital bed.
"He had a bad car accident. At the request of my brother, I went to see the perpetrator. He was powerless, but I felt all the cells in my body started to reject him when I saw him."
She said she's been lucky.
"I am very lucky. I met many nice people who helped me do what I wanted to do. I carry on a normal life, got therapy for myself and am able to help others."
She also said another reason for her to reveal her name was to support the victims that she helps.
"I wanted to be an example for them so that they can also move on and start to live a normal life again."
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