Hotline Asia Urgent Appeals -- UA010110(1)

Signature Campaign to Support Enactment of Laws against Domestic Violence
~ JAPAN ~
10 January 2001

Action Requested || Sample Letter || Background
Please respond before 20 December 2002
Update

Summary

Domestic violence (DV) in Japan has long been a nation-wide issue. Recently, for the first time in Japan, a group of legislators and organizations drafted an anti-DV bill. As a member of the international community, you are therefore invited to join a signature campaign to support the passing of an effective anti-DV law in Japan

It is hoped that, by showing your concern and support to Japanese legislators for the passing of the bill during the coming diet session in the end of January 2001, you will also help empower domestic violence survivors, and reduce its occurrence in future.
 
Action Requested

Please make a copy of the sample letter provided by a local group, sign it and send to:

Ms. Chieko Nono
Head Legislator for Domestic Violence Prevention Laws
Sangiin Giinkaikan No. 341
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8962
Japan

* Fax and e-mail signatures will NOT be accepted. Please send letters by post to reach before the end of January 2001

 

Sample Letter

Madam,

We, the under signatories, address this advocacy letter to you and to the rest of the members of your Project Team in the Upper House of the National Assembly who are currently drafting anti-domestic violence legislation. We are anticipating to see that this particular bill would be presented in the next ordinary Diet session starting in the year 2001, subsequently passed and enforced without delay.

We laud and appreciate the initial steps taken by lawmakers in finally recognizing the need of drafting laws to address this important social issue. May we remind those involved in the drafting of the bill that laws against domestic violence, or any crime for that matter, are only as good and effective as to the extent of protection and support that the lawmakers are willing to extend to the victims. Additionally, the law is as ineffective and inadequate as the reluctance of the lawmakers to address domestic violence all the way.

The ultimate purpose of the law should be to guarantee the safety of the victims and the empowerment of survivors. To this end, the following provisions should be included:

1. Revision of the criminal law to make DV a criminal offence punishable by law. Please include a provision for review and revision of the law, if necessary, every three years.
2. An all-inclusive definition of domestic violence. Make sure that mental, emotional, sexual, economic as well as physical abuse are recognized as forms of domestic violence. Do not limit it to the home or legal relationship, but include boyfriends, ex-husbands and ex-boyfriends.
3. Cooperation of the different parts of the criminal justice systems: law enforcement, prosecutors, the judiciary and also victim advocates in guaranteeing the safety of the survivors and in apprehending the abusers.
4. Better training and education of police, welfare personnel, medical staff, care givers, etc., who often aggravate the condition of a DV victim by their crude and insensitive handling of DV cases, and a periodic evaluation of the quality of support.
5. Improvement of public welfare services especially those local governments centers outside Tokyo areas that are often reluctant to extend welfare assistance to DV victims.
6. Give information about shelters and counseling agencies, available welfare services and programs to DV victims and respect their right of choice and self-determination.
7. Shelter for escaping women and children, and long-term support from social welfare from the point of crisis and escape up to the time they are reintegrated in the society.
8. Extend legal and protective services to married and unmarried women or those with live-in partners. Guarantee the rights upheld in courts or arbitration hearings.
9. Protection Orders. Keep registered address confidential. Empower local courts to prevent an abuser to come within certain distance from the victim, upon the request of the latter. Deny or restrict visiting rights to an abusive parent, and a mandatory "batterers program" for abusers to attend psychological sessions.
10. Counseling for survivors of DV should be covered by national health insurance.
11. Give resident visas to non-Japanese with Japanese children. If they end up staying in Japan after the divorce, there is no way to get a job and support children without permanent residency visa.
12. Penalize realtors who refuse to let an apartment to non-Japanese mothers with a child or children on social welfare support.
13. Financial support or increased government funding to private shelters and organization involved in assisting DV victims.
14. Establish an Anti-Domestic Violence Committee that would constantly address this social issue by improving the legal system in matters of DV and to investigate patterns in intimate violence homicides and issue recommendations.
15. Raise national awareness on DV through media information such as TV, radio, publications. Schools could introduce the subject of DV to the students. The youngsters should be aware of such social problems because they may grow up to be victims or victimizers; or they may be exposed to such circumstances already. Therefore, everyone needs to know what to do about it.

We emphasize that the purpose of DV legislation is not to control, direct, or to limit women, but to empower them. Listen to the voices of the DV survivors!

Drafting these anti-domestic legislations is only one small step. Passing the Bill is the great and significant leap towards fulfillment of Japan's commitments and obligation to the principles of Human Rights and its Universal Declaration.

Honorable Japanese lawmakers, you have now before you the magnificent opportunity to make a difference in the history of human rights in your country. Let the future generation look back and say that you made it happen.

Signatories:    
SIGNATURE ADDRESS DATE
____________________ ____________________ ___________________
____________________ ____________________ ___________________
____________________ ____________________ ___________________
____________________ ____________________ ___________________
____________________ ____________________ ___________________
 

Background

While anti-DV laws, terms like "battered wife" and all forms of abuse at home might be common and openly condemned in Western countries, victims of domestic violence in Japan are still not protected and the issue has still not been addressed legally. There are no legal provisions for victims of domestic violence as it is commonly considered to be a private domestic matter not to be interfered with by outsiders. Survivors sometimes do not even get support from their parents and relatives because of traditional values and fear of embarrassment. Recently, legislators in Japan have finally heard the victims' voices and have begun to recognize their needs. Together with concerned groups, they have initiated the first steps to fight domestic violence.

Local groups, who have been helping the victims and survivors of domestic violence in Japan, formed a support group for them. After long struggles in collecting their experiences, they have come up with a petition to submit to the project team working for anti-DV legislation. This is the first step in advocating for the needs of the victims. Legislators are currently proposing a draft legislative bill to be presented in the Diet (Japanese parliament or legislature) assembly this month. In order for the bill to be enacted without delay, local support groups and individuals have appealed to the international community to participate in a signature campaign to support the legislature in passing the important bill.

We hope that this campaign will increase awareness and education regarding domestic violence in Japan. Finally, this campaign, if successful, will provide the following to the victims and survivors of the domestic violence:
- Legal channels to protect and support their safety
- Extended and expanded welfare services for them to guarantee their right for self-determination and information
- Financial and funding support for their rehabilitation
 

Please remember to send copies of your letters to Hotline Asia for monitoring purpose.
Thank you for Your Continued Support!!