A victim of dating violence that shocked Korea last week came forward to share her story in detail on a live radio program Tuesday.
The woman, a college student in Busan, claimed that her boyfriend had ordered her to dress in white clothes so that he could “beat her red,” sending a wave of shock and outrage at local online communities.
The man is accused of beating the victim unconscious after she asked to end their three-month relationship. He then dragged the unconscious victim to his apartment where he attempted to confine her. He was arrested by the police who came to the scene after a neighbor heard the victim’s screams and called the police.
(Facebook)
The victim sustained fractures, but said that she was afraid to go to hospital in case the man came looking for her.
She also uploaded text messages she received from the man following his arrest. “Why aren’t you picking up your phone? You won’t tell against me, will you?” they read. “Don’t date another man. If you leave me I will find you, kill you and kill myself.”
The woman said she went on radio Tuesday to help prevent similar cases of dating violence and to strengthen solidarity among victims of dating abuse
She said she was lured out of her house by her attacker, who told her to take back her belongings, which he had packed up and left outside the building where she lives. When the victim opened her doors to go collect the box, she was attacked by the man, who was waiting outside. The victim said he beat her violently, and told her to go change into white clothes so he could clearly see her blood.
After the perpetrator locked her up at his apartment, he reportedly attempted to dress her in “strange clothes.” The victim shared photos of her bruised face and the CCTV footage showing her being dragged unconscious by the hair into the elevator of the man’s apartment. Her clothes were ripped.
She recalls meeting the eyes of the apartment security guard before passing out, but the guard did not step in at the time.
The victim screamed upon regaining consciousness inside the perpetrator’s apartment, alerting a neighbor who called the police. The police reportedly searched the entire 18 floors to search for the source of the emergency signal.
The police arrested the man in action and booked him the following day on the charges of confinement and abuse.
By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)