We are here for anyone who has experienced sexual assault. You are not alone. Below you will find resources that can be used to find help and healing for yourself and/or a loved one.
If you are reading this immediately after experiencing an assault and looking for help at this very moment, please do not hesitate to reach out to us by LINE or [email protected], one of the resources provided below, or scroll to the bottom of the page for information on what to do after an assault and/or the procedure of talking to the police.
Resources
Gifu Prefecture Sexual Assault Relief Centre (058-215-8349)
https://www.onestop-gifu.org/
Offers in-person consultation by appointment Mon. – Fri. (10:00 ~ 16:00) excluding holidays
Hotline is available 24-hours, with gender preference according to the caller.
One-Stop Gifu can arrange English support and counseling. If you would like assistance in setting up an appointment, please do not hesitate to contact us.
National Hotline for Victims of Sexual Assault
Number: #8103
A nation-wide speed dial number – one call can reach all Prefectural Police Sexual Assault Consultation Centers.
Tokyo English Lifeline (03-5774-0992)
https://telljp.com/
A counselling service offering 24-hour telephone consultation. While the service is not specialized for victims of sexual assault, they are always available, anonymous and can point people to more specialized services.
SARC (Sexual Assault Relief Center)
https://sarc-tokyo.org/#
SARC in Tokyo provides site interface in over forty different foreign languages. Their help hotline is available 24/7. For any non-Japanese-speaking individuals, you will be assisted either by English staff it resources permit or by voice translator devices that they have on hand.
1 in 6
https://1in6.org/
1 in 6 is a charity specifically aimed at supporting men who have experienced sexual assault, with a 24/7 helpline chat available. According to studies, at least 1 in 6 men have experienced some form of sexual assault at some point in their life. On top of this, men are more likely not to report if they are sexually assaulted. In light of this, we’d like to remind male JETs using this page that the information listed here is for the use of all JETs regardless of gender or sexual orientation.
Embassy Emergency Contact Pages:
Australia: https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/while-youre-away/crime/sexual-assault-overseas
Brazil:
・http://lal-yokohama.org/home/?page_id=50&lang=ja (LAL(Linha de Apoio a Latinos))
・https://www.facebook.com/nposabja/ (Sabja Brasileiros No Japão)
・http://cgtoquio.itamaraty.gov.br/pt-br/orientacao_psicologica.xml
Canada: https://travel.gc.ca/assistance/emergency-assistance
France: French Embassy Emergency Hotline +81 (3) 5798-6000
Ireland: https://www.dfa.ie/travel/assistance-abroad/victim-of-crime/
New Zealand: https://www.safetravel.govt.nz/contact
Philippines: https://tokyo.philembassy.net/consular-section/services/atn-corner/domestic-violence/
USA: https://jp.usembassy.gov/services/victims-of-crime/
UK: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/victim-of-rape-and-sexual-assault-abroad
Counselling
Counselling is available to help anyone with the process of grieving, reconciling, and recovering from what they have been through. While PAs and RPAs are not qualified counsellors, we are always here to listen and can also direct you to resources offered by CLAIR and others. Counselling is available in English and services will be able to direct JETs to specialized care options. Please keep in mind more specialized options will most likely not be covered by JET.
To learn more about CLAIR counselling, please contact us or for more information, access
https://gifujets.weebly.com/mental-health-support-128070.html
The following information will describe the aftermath of assault and is potentially triggering – please do not hesitate to prioritize your mental health and contact a PA or RPA if you do not feel comfortable or safe reading this information or reliving your experience.
After Assault
After Assault
If something happens away from home, please seek refuge and help in a safe place as soon as possible (this may be a convenience store or koban police box which are open 24 hours).
Call #8103 to be connected the Prefectural Police Sexual Assault Consultation Center.
In the event of an incident on public transport, making a scene and calling attention to yourself and the perpetrator can be effective in forcing the perpetrator to stop.
Seek assistance from staff (who typically have training to deal with such situations) or police as soon as possible.
After you have secured your immediate safety, please preserve any physical evidence. Please try to memorize details about the perpetrator, this will make it easier for you to report the crime to the police after.
You may wish to not report the crime to avoid further trauma, but please note preserving any evidence will provide you with more options. (More details on the preservation of evidence is available in the General Handbook, page 143.)
http://jetprogramme.org/wp-content/MAIN-PAGE/COMMON/publications/2022GIH_E.pdf
Measures such as taking a photo of the perpetrator may be useful to help you find the perpetrator afterwards, but please do not do anything that might escalate the situation and place you at risk. Also, please reserve any evidence for the police and ensure it is not shared on social media, which may cause trouble with Japan’s strict defamation laws.
If you wish to report the incident to the police but are concerned about language issues or privacy concerns:
If you are not comfortable asking your Supervisor for help with interpreting (for example, to protect your privacy in your workplace), please consult with the PAs. If you would like to speak to a specific person or a specific gender, that is absolutely not a problem. You can let us know which PA members you are comfortable with and if you are not comfortable with a PA, this is also fine. We can help you find someone you feel safe speaking to.
The police (and PAs/RPAs) are required to keep any report you make to them strictly confidential, so please be assured that there is no need to notify your school or workplace if you wish to make a report.
Reporting to the Police:
Trains and other forms of public transport will often have CCTV cameras recording their surroundings. Quick reporting may help to catch the perpetrator, if you wish to report the crime.
At the police station you can ask to see a police office of a gender of your preference, which may make you feel more comfortable reporting the crime.
Even if the police cannot find or arrest the perpetrator, reporting the crime will mean that it is reflected in official figures. Also, it may be possible to record details of the perpetrator (such as their phone number if you were contacted that way) to ensure the police are able to respond more quickly in the event of further trouble.