10 Weird Things That Only Exist In North Korea
The report is based on interviews with 62 North Koreans who fled the country and provided detailed accounts of rape and sexual abuse.
The group said it revealed a culture of open, unaddressed abuse, particularly from men in positions of power.
"They consider us [sex] toys. We are at the mercy of men," Oh Jung-hee, a former trader in her 40s told the report's authors.
"Sometimes, out of nowhere, you cry at night and don't know why."
According to HRW some women said that sexual abuse had become so normalised that they did not think it was "unusual" - with some saying it had become accepted as part of everyday life.
Considering that North Korea - formally (and ironically) known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea - is commonly referred to as a "hermit kingdom," quite a lot is known about this reclusive, isolated nation of 25 million people.
Its recent ballistic missile tests made headlines around the globe, as have the tirades of its young leader, Kim Jong-un. Heartrending tales of the North Korean Famine of the 1990s still strike a chord today, while eccentric anecdotes about the three generations of DPRK leaders draw raised eyebrows.
Kim Jong-il, son of founder Kim Il-sung and father to the current head of state, is reported to have bowled a perfect 300 during his first game and to scored 38 under par playing golf, according to The Washington Post. He is also said to have written 1,500 books during his college years alone, The Telegraph reports.
While these outrageous stories are likely overblown propaganda, here are seven real facts about North Korea you probably don't know that may reshape the way you think about this reclusive nation. CIA data ranks North Korea's estimated 25 million-person population 51st out of the world's nations. North Korea's outsized military is among the most powerful in the world, boasting approximately 1,190,000 active-duty troops, according to Newsweek.