Japan Press Weekly

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2020 September 16 - 29 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Tamura denounces LDP lawmaker’s slander of sexual assault survivors

Japanese Communist Party Policy Commission Chair Tamura Tomoko on September 25 at a press conference in the Diet building said, “I’m really repulsed by and furious at a Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker’s slanderous remark against victims of sexual violence.”

Earlier on the day, at a meeting which the LDP held for a briefing about the government program to support sexual violence victims, Lower House LDP member Sugita Mio reportedly said that some women can easily “lie” about sexual violence.

Tamura referred to the fact that as civil organizations supporting sexual assault survivors often criticize the public sector’s counselling service for failing to take sufficient measures to prevent victim-blaming treatment termed “the second rape”, the government began making efforts to improve its support program. Tamura said that the LDP lawmaker’s remark will hinder the government move to implement effective support.

Tamura also pointed out that Sugita has frequently made sexist remarks which included a remark that wartime Japanese military comfort women are the fabrication and a remark that LGBT couples are unproductive.

The JCP lawmaker said that Sugita’s latest remark is an extension of these remarks. Citing that the LDP in past general elections made a big push for Sugita to win a seat, Tamura said that the LDP should bear a heavy responsibility for her insulting remark against sexual violence victims.

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In protest against LDP lawmaker Sugita’s act of hurling an insult to female victims of rape and sexual assault, an online demonstration took place on September 26. This event was urgently called for by organizers of the monthly protest seeking the elimination of sexual violence dubbed “Flower Demonstration”.

Writer Kitahara Minori, one of the Flower Demonstration organizers, said, “It is unforgivable for a parliamentarian to make a remark which may trigger a backlash against our efforts to eliminate sexual violence.”

The organizers on the day also launched an online signature campaign demanding that Sugita retract her remark, offer apologies, and resign as a lawmaker. The campaign collected about 40,000 signatures soon after the launch.

Past related articles:
> Koike criticizes LDP as being irresponsible in regard to anti-LGBTQ remarks frequently made by LDP Dietmembers [January 8, 2019]
> Sexist LDP lawmaker should apologize or resign: JCP Koike [July 24, 2018]