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Karoons · Joined: 04 Jul 2004 Posts: 10

I have been living in Japan for about two and half years and in that time 4 of my friends have been victims of sexual assualt. Not including the wandering hands on trains that most women here seem to experience.
I was wondering if anyone else has had similar experiences. Of course, I know this kind of thing happens everywhere but I am shocked that it`s occurred so frequently in such a relatively short time-span.
I can`t work out if this is something that`s fairly common in Japan in general, if it happens more to foreign women because we stick out more (3 of the 4 women are foreigners), or if it`s just been a really horrible case of co-incidence and bad luck. Any thoughts appreciated.

Sherri · Posted: Sat Jul 10, 2004 3:14 pm Post subject:

I lived in London for 10 years, right through my 20s before coming to Tokyo and I never had any problems with perverts (chikan). After almost 14 years here I have had many encounters. The worst have been in the last 3 years. Thinking back it is because I have children now and spend more time in parks. I have even had problems in my local park in the playground area--usually a lone man w anking--that type of thing. When I get together with non-Japanese moms here we exchange our stories and disgust--it is that common.

I heard that in London now they have signs up in parks where the playgrounds are that say "no unaccompanied males allowed". I wish they would do that here. I have no idea why it happens or if it is a Japanese thing, but it is something that makes life in Tokyo unpleasant to be sure.

Joannda · Joined: 07 Jun 2004 Posts: 43 Location: Japan!

Yeah, like Sherri said, it's not uncommon to see guys w*nking off in parks etc. When I was in Japan in 2000, me and a few friends went to the Arashiyama area of Kyoto, and were shocked to see a naked guy in amongst the trees having a bit of a play with himself... I mean, I can't say I've ever seen that anywhere else?? I think it was more shocking too, because you hear all about how Japan is so 'proper' and anything even remotely out of the norm is frowned severely upon and all that... Not sure if this is some people's way of breaking out of society's rules or whatever?
I haven't had any experiences with sexual assault though, nor has anyone I knew at the time (as far as I know). It does seem sad, especially since Japan has a bit of a repuation for being safe...

lajzar · Joined: 09 Feb 2003 Posts: 647 Location: Saitama-ken, Japan

migo · Joined: 04 Jul 2004 Posts: 201

Sherri · Posted: Sun Jul 11, 2004 8:28 am Post subject:

lazjar
The implication I think is that the vast majority of perverts are men, not that most men are perverts. If you think it would make the world a safer place to add unaccompanied women to the sign, then go ahead. But it just isn't a problem. I have never felt threatened or uncomfortable by the presence of single women hanging around the playground. They just don't do it. I have never seen a woman flashing her bits in front of my kids. The signs in London as I understand it are only in the playgrounds not in the main park. Here in my local park there is almost always one or two single men just "hanging around" in the play area, I am not talking about the main park. I don't like it and it has stopped me from going to the park.
Sherri

lajzar · Joined: 09 Feb 2003 Posts: 647 Location: Saitama-ken, Japan

hamel · Joined: 03 May 2004 Posts: 95

what are the police doing about this? gee, in london parks a man can't go and read a book or look at the birds?--scary

lajzar · Joined: 09 Feb 2003 Posts: 647 Location: Saitama-ken, Japan

If you want to look at the birds in London, may I suggest you join the tit-watchers' club? That way, you won't be on your own, and so you can freely look at as many *beep* as you like Very Happy

http://www.nice-t i t s.org/

(remove the spaces)

Sherri · Posted: Sun Jul 11, 2004 12:15 pm Post subject:

lajzar wrote "That fits my definition of feminazi quite well"

I'm not sure why you think name-calling is needed.

In any case if you read my post you would have seen that I didn't object to having unaccompanied women added. The playground should be considered a family area and making it a rule that only adults with children would be allowed to enter would be fine with me if it means that the kids can play safely.

Do you have a better solution? Don't you think it is ironic that currently it is the mother (or father) with kids who ends up not being able to use the park safely?

Sherri

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

If I happened to want to sit on a park bench near a playground and was alone, I'd be pretty irate if asked to leave.

I don't have a solution, but banning all solitary men because of a few sickos is not a good solution IMO.

lajzar · Joined: 09 Feb 2003 Posts: 647 Location: Saitama-ken, Japan

Sherri · Posted: Sun Jul 11, 2004 3:10 pm Post subject:

I never called you a pervert and I never said that all men were perverts. Still waiting to hear your solution lajzar.

I agree Gordon, it is unfair overall to regular guys in the park on their own. But in my own local park there are plenty of places to sit in the main park area with the trees and rose garden. There is a small children's playground, little shade, no grass--just a slide and a few swings, gravel and dust. Why sit there when there are plenty of nice places to sit in the rest of the park? Anyway there isn't any rule here and unfortunately lone men and homeless guys seem to rule the parks here in Tokyo. I would like to hear of anyone's solutions as to how familes, moms and dads and their kids can reclaim urban parks.
Sherri

joncharles · Joined: 09 Apr 2004 Posts: 132 Location: Beijing

I have actually seen this happening.. a middle-aged Japanese guy with his hand down his trousers and you can plainly see he is wacking away.. He was looking at some foreign young women while doing it. The problem is most Japanese will walk right by and do nothing.

One of my friends was walking home one day after work and a car pulled over in front of her... she walked by the car... a minute later the car pulled up again and she walked by.. the third time it happened as she walked by the car the guy (also middle-aged) had the dome light on and he was playing choke the snake... at that point she pulled out her cell phone and started to dial.. the guy drove off. It happens often according to my female Japanese friends.. most of the time no one reports these things. only recently more Japanese women are speaking out. I believe that now they have Women Only cars on one of the JR Lines.

Another story that I thought was very funny. There is an organization of Japanese men who claim to have been wrongfully accused of being "CHIKAN" on the trains. The founder of the group ironically was arrested after he got caught using a cell phone to take pictures up womens dresses. He got caught red handed by fellow passengers and he still claims he did not do it.

I think that women in Japan are beginning to speak out... women have won lawsuits in which maybe five years ago would have been thrown out. (possibly because you are getting younger more open judges taking the places of the old judges who are trying to cling to the "old ways." And only recently did the government pass laws against spouse and child abuse.. (although police still do not vigorously pursue these cases) Most police still have the attitude that spouse and child abuse is a family matter.

migo · Joined: 04 Jul 2004 Posts: 201

umm, how come no-one has stated the obvious solution? No unacompanied children.