Jung Da-eun, Gwangju City Council Member: "Social Welfare Neglecting Men"

"Consider Protecting the Position of 'Minority Men' as Vulnerable Groups"

Jang Da-eun, Gwangju City Council member.

Gwangju City has been criticized for implementing policies that discriminate against men.

Jeong Da-eun, a member of the Gwangju City Council (Democratic Party of Korea, Buk-gu 2), pointed out during the administrative audit of the Gwangju Women's and Family Bureau on the 7th that “there is not a single welfare facility supporting men who have suffered from violence or single-parent father (buja) families,” adding, “male victims of violence or single daddies are neglected and not protected or supported in policies because men have traditionally held a superior status and because they are a minority.”

Looking at the number of consultations for male victims of violence reported in the Gwangju area over the past three years, there were 62 cases in 2022, 85 cases in 2023, and 79 cases in 2024 (as of October), showing a steady increase. The consultation topics include digital sex crimes, sexual violence, sexual harassment, domestic violence, forced molestation, and stalking. The number of stalking-related consultations also steadily occurred with 4 cases in 2022, 3 cases in 2023, and 3 cases in 2024 (as of October).

Gwangju City operates 10 protection facilities for sexual violence, domestic violence, and prostitution victims, and one self-support center, but all are women-only facilities, and there are no facilities available for men at all. Single-parent family welfare facilities consist of two mother-child (moja) facilities and four unmarried mother-child facilities, leaving no welfare facilities available to support single daddies (buja families).

As of 2023, there are 45,018 single-parent households in the Gwangju area. Among them, father-headed households number 10,361, accounting for 23% of single-parent families.

Councilor Jeong said, “It is true that policies and systems for women are still insufficient, but it took decades to reach the current level, albeit inadequate,” and added, “To achieve true gender equality, we must also begin to consider ordinances and policies to protect and support the minority men who are in a vulnerable position.”

Jeong also urged, “I ask that all citizens living in Gwangju, regardless of age or gender, strive to receive the necessary support equally and fairly.”