Sophia University Institute of Comparative Culture
Special Lecture Series: Vulnerable Populations in Japan under Covid-19 - 3
Invites you to a discussion with Rei Ando, Sophia University and Nakajima Sachi, Resilience

"Domestic Violence and Japan's COVID-19 Pandemic"

Date: Wednesday, October 21
Time: 7pm-8pm (Tokyo time)
Presentation will be followed by Q and A
On Zoom. Open to all; Language English
Please register:
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In the unfolding of a global pandemic that has wreaked havoc worldwide, another less obvious pandemic hovers overhead. This is what the United Nations is calling a 'Shadow Pandemic.' A rise in domestic violence within households has been noted in Japan and other countries. The stay-at-home measures to prevent the spread of the infection have essentially kept victims trapped with abusive partners and few means of escaping to the often-closed manga cafes or women's shelters. In this dire time, Japanese laws offer only minimal protection. This article draws on insights from Nakajima Sachiko of NPO Resilience, which aims to spread awareness of domestic violence and the effects of this trauma. She shares her expertise in the field and experiences as a survivor herself on the mechanisms that exist in Japanese laws and society that have created increased vulnerability among victims. Domestic violence in Japan is an area needing stronger attention from the government and legal system.

Rei Ando is a student at Sophia University in the Faculty of Liberal Arts, majoring in Anthropology and Sociology with a minor in Political Science. She has channelled her passion for raising awareness on social issues through writing articles in The Japan Times and most recently on Metropolis Magazine. She has also been involved in organizing fundraising events for the Sophia Refugee Support Group, as well as being the first campus director for the Hult Prize in 2019.

Sachi Nakajima(MSW JD) is the Founding Director of the Japan-based NPO Resilience, which supports women affected by violence. As Sachi is a survivor of violence, she combines perspectives she has earned through her personal experience with her knowledge on the subject of trauma. Themes for her presentations and trainings range from domestic violence, sexual violence to effects of trauma and dissociation.

Resilience was founded in 2003 to offer classes to women who have been affected by abuse or violence. These classes continue to be offered today in six locations. Resilience also conducts 200 to 300 workshops/presentations/trainings every year. The year 2020 has been different because of COVID-19 and they are offering many of the trainings online. Aside from offering classes for survivors and trainings for professionals, Sachi also works with youths in juvenile prisons across Japan
Rei and Sachi will be discussing recently published paper by Rei: "Domestic Violence and Japan's COVID-19 pandemic" from our collection in the Asia Pacific Journal: Japan Focus
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Notes on the full series: This discussion is the first in a series we will hold over the autumn on the causes, effects and current status of vulnerable populations in Japan during the Covid-19 pandemic. Each discussion will be moderated by David Slater and will give listeners a chance to meet the authors and others associated with the articles (advocates, activists, supporters, and participants). The authors will provide insight into the articles, as well as background to the conditions of data collection in the age of Corona, an update on the situation and a look forward--asking if we are any better prepared for next time.
An introduction to the whole collection here: Vulnerable Populations in Japan under Covid-19: A lull in the storm by David H. Slater
Abstract for the full collection of papers: This is a collection of original articles on diverse vulnerable populations in Japan in the wake of the new coronavirus pandemic. The effects of COVID-19 are felt differently, with some among us at much greater risk of infection due to preexisting health and welfare conditions. For others, perhaps more than the risk of infection, it is the precautions taken to mitigate the risk for the whole population, such as lockdowns and business closures, that have pulled away the already fragile safety net of state and civil society organization (CSO) support, leading to increased marginalization and social exclusion. The goal of this set of papers is to document the conditions of those that have been most directly affected by the virus and to provide background on the conditions that made them vulnerable in the first place, notably chronic conditions that are brought into more obvious relief in light of emergency measures. Each of the authors had a pre-established relationship with those affected populations and employed various ethnographic approaches, some face to face, others digitally via Zoom interviews and SNS exchanges. In this moment of what appears to be relative calm, we hope that our collection, quickly compiled in an attempt to capture the ever-changing situation, will give some insight into how those most vulnerable are faring in this time of crisis and provide information that will allow us to prepare better before the next wave comes our way.

Sophia University Institute of Comparative Culture: 7-1 Kioicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8554, Japan