Job Discussion Forums

[blue jay]

I've never seen one in Japan but I've seen plenty in Canada. But that was maybe ten years ago, doesn't seem to happen as much these days.

When I was in Japan I was "groped" only once, I was walking down a back lane on my way back to my apt. when a Japanese teenager on a bike raced over & put his hand on my chest. I was so shocked I did what I did when I saw a 'wan ker' in Canada I started yelling at him. "what the h*** are you doing?" He was so surprised he quickly got back on his bike & hightailed it out of there so fast!

In that one case & in seeing flashers in Canada, I responded either by yelling at them which surprised them, since they seemed to expect no response or by laughing. The time I saw flashers in Vancouver, I was with my sister & we were walking by Gastown (the Gassy Jack statue) & we saw 2 flashers, one after the other. I think at that time we were so surprised we started laughing hysterically at them. It was really strange..

One thing I noticed in Japan was that my Japanese female friends talked about "sexual harrassment" at their work-place & ways to deal with it. I got the feeling it was a common place issue they had to deal with on a daily basis. I don't know what the laws are like in Japan on that...

blue jay

Ps. It usually amazes people too when I mention responding the way I did in both incidents because I'm perceived as being really mild-mannered, but when provoked I do respond accordingly..

[Chris12]

[Jetgirly]

I've never been to Japan, I just read this subject because it seemed like a nice "Women's Issue" topic and since I'm a girl (I'll be a woman in another thirty years or so) I thought it might be of interest.

I would be hard-pressed to classify a "w�nker" (what a horrible word) as a perpetrator of sexual assault. Mainly because their intent is to satisfy their own moronic craving or fetish, NOT to cause harm to you women. From what I've read these men are hiding in bushes, in their cars, behind pipes (?), etc... they're not standing on your doorstep ringing the bell. It may be a crime, and it's certainly impolite, but I would never go so far as to call it an assault.

I also wonder if perhaps Western women are more apt to talk about sexual assult that occurs in Japan because the perpetrator is an "other". It might be harder to talk about a crime committed by the white boy next door in suburban Nebraska than by the Japanese man in a country where you feel as though you're in the minority... I'm kind of thinking of Said's theory of Orientalism (hahahaha... I'm actually drawing on something I learned in school!) and his ideas about how we feel better about ourselves by making the other look worse.

Lastly, I would like to say that sexual assault (as defined by this thread) is definitely not uncommon in other parts of the world. In Canada, I've had guys reach up my skirt and UNDER my underwear to cop a feel before. It's not appropriate, it's impolite, it's even illegal... but I think you have two choices: press charges or accept it as a form of flattery. It's WRONG... sure... but I don't let a few gropes here and there ruin my life (or my day for that matter). Honestly, if all of a sudden I stopped getting groped, if car horns stopped honking, if guys stopped whispering dirty things in my ear when they walked by... I think I'd feel kind of ugly.

[Lynn]

[kiracle]

Sorry to do it, but I'm going to reply to the original topic - children's playgrounds.

Maybe it is an urban problem. In New York City, where I'm from, many children's playgrounds have signs banning single men. As I wokred as a nanny for years, I spent a lot of time in children's playgrounds. I consider myself a feminist and in theory I would be opposed to restricting someone's movements because of sex. However, those signs only made me feel safe. New York City is full of parks that anybody can enjoy. I really believe Sherri was right when she tried to highlight the distinction between PARK and CHILDREN'S PLAYGROUND. In New York at least, children's playgrounds are usually fenced in and have a separate gate. Why would a single man or women choose to go into that area full of noisy children if he/she could sit on a nice bench anywhere else? The two I have ever seen in NY who disregarded the sign ending up exposing themselves. I can't comment on Japanese playgrounds as I live in the country and the only playground around is usually deserted. However, even out here the abuse (same kind mentioned before, exposing, "beep", etc) happens, just not in playgrounds.

Migo said a "no unaccompanied children" sign would ensure children are protected, but it was pointed out that parents cannot usually stop perverts from doing their thing until its too late. So what is wrong with trying to create an area that is protected and specifically for children? How is that any different than having women only cars like most Japanese city subways?

I believe in fighting for a better world where this isn't necessary but right now there is a real problem caused by some (certainly, certainly NOT all) extremely inappropiate and yes, disgusting, men. Shouldn't women and children be at least minimally protected by such signs and rules? Or should we have no protection in the hope that by wishing it wasn't neccessary, society (whether it be Japanese or any other country) will just change?

Honestly I don't know. But I do know that those signs made me feel safer.

[Mike L.]

Ever notice how in Japan there seems to be no equivalewnt of "child molester" in legal or common language!

"Chikan" hardly makes the grade!

Are there special police forces to track and deal with them here?

NO!!!

Do schools in America cover up child molesting teachers?

In my JET city the entire BOE and numerous teachers did! the teacher was allowed to resign!!

WTF!!!!!

Let's face it Japan has hardly even began to face this problem!

********

To you people who are calling some of the posters on this board "cry baabies" you must be off in space strumming your shamisan or something!!!!

Do you speak Japanese?

Watch telvision reports about oyaji pedphiles molesting children in shibuya?

Japan has a serious sexal offender / child molester problem that it barely even begun to face!

OPEN YOUR EYES!!!!

[Lovechild]

[Mike L.]

Alright people here's some advice on how to deal with trolls!

http://members.aol.com/intwg/trolls.htm

[migo]

[Chris12]

[quote="Mike L."]Ever notice how in Japan there seems to be no equivalewnt of "child molester" in legal or common language!

"Chikan" hardly makes the grade!

Are there special police forces to track and deal with them here?

NO!!!

Do schools in America cover up child molesting teachers?

In my JET city the entire BOE and numerous teachers did! the teacher was allowed to resign!!

WTF!!!!!

Let's face it Japan has hardly even began to face this problem!


You are an American and complaining about crime in Japan?!? Yea there is no violent crimes in the U.S.!?! Lovechile must be right about you being bitter about not being able to make a living in the U.S. and you must be the biggest cry baby to ever walk on Earth!

[Chris12]

[quote="Lynn"]

[Mike L.]

[migo]

[malcoml]

I have somethign quite serious to say. We had a Japanese guy who worked for us and he had some of these problems. He kept geting drunk then taking his clothes off and annoying his female flat mates. To make it worse they worked together.
We told him to find other accomadation. He did. Then we noted he advertised for a flat mate. He was interviewing them at the office. One particular one stood out she was young and blond. Guess what he asked he to be the flat mate.
Two weeks later a solicitor from the courthouse rand us and said did so and so still work for us. We said yeah why ? The girl had just reported him for attempted rape. We explained to him what he was done was wrong. He didn't seem to agree. We explained to him the law would see it as wrong and he needed to leave the country immediately. He did and that was the end of it.
I can honestly say that from dealing with Japanese men my whole life about 50% of them turn out to be what we in the west call perverts.
I remember one kind old Japanese man ran an English school her in Australia. He employed only young beautiful teachers for the children. He had the master key to the bedrooms and would make unexpected visits to their room when they were sleeping and when they were getting changed after having a shower. It was later found he had established the trick of the old hole in the wall looking into the bathroom.

[DoctorPayne]