Because it is a controversial subject, military brothels were often designated with creative euphemisms.

A 1977 report contended that women who had been prostitutes before the war were made to register for the military brothels.

Whether in military brothels or in the villages, we raped without reluctance.

For instance they point to the presence of military brothels in Algeria till 1960.

Time magazine reported on girls who had been kidnapped and held in military brothels:

In other words, it was a military brothel, using prisoners in place of prostitutes.

Many women were tricked or defrauded into joining the military brothels.

Based on these estimates, most international media sources quote about 200,000 young women were recruited or kidnapped by soldiers to serve in Japanese military brothels.