![]() Women in the Kanto area who are in Tokyo often are also encouraged to download the DigiPolice smartphone app, created by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police in 2018. As 1 in 4 women in Japan will likely experience chikan harassment in their life, many of these posters encourage witnesses to speak up if they witness an attack to dispel the “do nothing” group mentality. Many stations around the country have also taken to put up posters with warning messages against chikan molestation around the stations. The incidence rates were so high, the Saikyo Line installed surveillance cameras on the trains in 2010. The Saikyo Line in Saitama in particular is known as having the highest chikan molestation crime rate in Japan. The stamp allows women to swiftly mark their attackers, using special ink that shows up under a black light. Rammy_Rammy/ ShutterstockĪn Anti-Nuisance Stamp was created in 2019 in response to numerous chikan reports. All Japanese phones are programmed to make a shutter sound when photos are being taken, even if the phone is on silent mode, to alert others of potential chikan assaults. Also, be aware of any shutter sounds on the train. Chikan will likely be deterred from public molestation due to the fear of getting caught, and it is also easier to shuffle away from those spots or get someone’s attention. It is also recommended to stand in front of the passenger seats. These are easy positions where someone could corner their victim while the train is moving, as these spots are generally surrounded by walls. If you aren’t able to board a women-only train, then it’s advisable to avoid standing near the sides of the doors or corners of the car. There’s no law that prevents men from boarding these cars, but it is generally frowned upon by the public. They are only female-exclusive for a certain amount of time-typically during weekday morning rush hour. ![]() Women-only cars are train cars where only women are allowed to board that particular car, the first women’s-only car coming into existence in Japan in 2002. Preventative Measures Against Chikan in Japan Yuttapol Phetkong / The types of sexual harassment include but aren’t limited to: touching the victim’s body, forcing the victim to touch the perpetrator’s genitals, whispering obscene words, cutting clothes with scissors, and taking explicit photos. 50% of young girls wearing school uniforms also confessed to being harassed or receiving inappropriate comments while out in public. Along with women, students of all ages are often seen as easy targets, as many students in Japan take the train alone.Īccording to a 2018 WeToo Japan survey with over 12,000 respondents aged between 15 and 49, 70% of women and 32% of men had been sexually harassed on trains at least once in their lives. It is believed that chikan molesters often look for someone who looks quiet and unlikely to report them to the police. Given the insidious nature of the crime and difficulty victims have with prosecuting, the actual number of chikan molestation is predicted to be much higher. Other common locations include on the street, commercial areas, changing rooms, and restrooms. Of this number, 45% were reported to have occurred on the train while 19% occurred at the station. Trains and the stations in big cities like Tokyo, Osaka, Kanagawa, Saitama, and Kobe are big target areas due to their over-crowded nature during rush hours.Īs the 2019 Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department report shows, there were 1,780 cases of groping or molestation reported during the year. Japanese gropers typically take advantage of their surroundings, knowing that the victim’s fear of causing a scene and the anonymous nature of packed public transport makes it difficult for victims to call out or report the incidents. The attackers have also internalized the value system of male domination and female subjugation to justify their actions as well. The act of public molestation is done out of a need to exert power over someone. In his book, The Reason Men Become Perverts (Otoko ga Chikan ni Naru Riyu), he discusses the act of public groping and molestation, and what drives people to commit sexual molestation. The perpetrators are usually men- both Japanese and foreign, but mental health professional and author Akiyoshi Saito explains that the chikan phenomenon has little to do with sexual desire. This can go as far as molestation and taking voyeur photos, but does exclude rape. “Chikan” is the Japanese word for molester or pervert, often in reference to a person who commits sexual assault on public transportation. PIXTA What Are “Chikan” and Who Are the Most Common Perpetrators? ![]()
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