How Japanese society perceives sexual violence has undergone a significant transformation in recent years. The reality of sexual violence, previously hidden and barely acknowledged, has become more visible, with a growing public outcry against it. This shift has gradually eclipsed the backlash movements that once sought to suppress such voices. In 2023, the Japanese Penal Code underwent fundamental revisions addressing sexual violence. Key changes included the establishment of the offense of non-consensual sexual intercourse or indecent acts, raising the age of consent from thirteen to sixteen years, and extending the statute of limitations. This piece presents an overview of the societal “winds” that have driven these critical legal reforms.
Purchase
Buy instant access (PDF download and unlimited online access):
Institutional Login
Log in with Open Athens, Shibboleth, or your institutional credentials
Personal login
Log in with your brill.com account
Etcetera (2024). Vol. 11, (Special issue: Tamaka Ogawa ed., Seven years of gender and criminal law [Jenda to keiho no sasayakana nananen]). Tokyo: Etc. Books.
Flower Demo (2020). Recording Flower Demo [Furawa demo wo kiroku suru]. Tokyo: Etc. Books.
Goto, Emi (2023). Translating “Sexual Harassment” in Japan and Egypt: Conception and Perception on the Move. International Quarterly for Asian Studies 54(2), pp. 173–190.
Morita, Yuri (1992). Breaking the Silence: Testimonies of Women Abused as Children + Healing Guide [Chinmoku wo yabutte: kodomo jidai ni seibouryoku wo uketa jyoseitatchi no shogen+ kokoro wo iyasu kyouhon]. Tokyo: Tsukiji Shokan.
Office for Gender Equality (1999). Survey on Violence between Men and Women. Available at: https://www.gender.go.jp/policy/no_violence/e-vaw/chousa/09.html (Accessed 2 December 2024).
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 783 | 236 | 18 |
| Full Text Views | 11 | 4 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 13 | 8 | 0 |
How Japanese society perceives sexual violence has undergone a significant transformation in recent years. The reality of sexual violence, previously hidden and barely acknowledged, has become more visible, with a growing public outcry against it. This shift has gradually eclipsed the backlash movements that once sought to suppress such voices. In 2023, the Japanese Penal Code underwent fundamental revisions addressing sexual violence. Key changes included the establishment of the offense of non-consensual sexual intercourse or indecent acts, raising the age of consent from thirteen to sixteen years, and extending the statute of limitations. This piece presents an overview of the societal “winds” that have driven these critical legal reforms.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 783 | 236 | 18 |
| Full Text Views | 11 | 4 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 13 | 8 | 0 |