Yesterday, an 8.9 earthquake hit the near the east coast of Honshu, Japan. Like after every other natural disaster the threat of sexual violence increases due to to women and girls in vulnerable living conditions. Reports coming out of Japan are saying that men are approaching single women, pretending to be a police officer or someone from an aid organization offering to take them to a ‘safer place’. During natural disasters in the past women and girls would often in turn then be raped and often sold.
The threats of rape or trafficking are not the only problems that are facing women in Japan. Women fleeing domestic violence are also vulnerable. As much as I do not like to tell women that they must change their everyday life to prevent sexual violence (it is not the women’s responsibility to do so!) but rape crisis professionals on the grounds of Japan are warning women to not go anywhere alone, buddy up with someone and stick together. i think that is great advice for everyone after a natural disaster especially as they are still feeling aftershocks and the environment around them is unstable.
There’s a women-only safety shelter in Shibuya:
Asia Japan Women’s Resource Center
Shibuya Coop 311
14-10 Sakuragaoka
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150
Japan
Tel: 03-3780-5245
Fax: 03-3463-9752
Email: ajwrc@jca.or.jp
I could only imagine how busy they would be in the months ahead so if you looking for a place to donate I do recommend the shelter.
thank you. Been looking to donate outside of the Red Cross and for someone that does do specifically to help women. Also a fan of Doctors Without Borders.
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/.
me too- i want to donate to AJWRC, but how do i do that online?
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