Original Article
Status and Issues of Sexual Violence Victimization Experienced by People with Disabilities and Consultation Support in Japan: Analysis Based on a Survey of Victims
Chiaki Iwata
Abstract
An online questionnaire survey was conducted with the aim of clarifying the status of sexual violence victimization of people with disabilities, requests for consultation and support after victimization, and future issues. The questionnaire results were simply tabulated, and the free responses were categorized. The survey subjects comprised individuals with disabilities who had experienced sexual violence victimization at least once. Of the 54 respondents, approximately 80% had experienced victimization multiple times. Additionally, the most common response regarding the perpetrator was that it was “someone they knew.” This response accounted for approximately 60% of all responses. Various difficulties arose in cases of sexual violence victims with disabilities seeking consultation depending on the type of disability. Additionally, half the respondents mentioned that consultations regarding the type of disability were useful in recovery. Future issues include the following: 1) implementation of fact-finding survey of sexual violence victims with disabilities, 2) strengthening of penalties for sexual violence that takes advantage of disabilities, 3) establishment of a consultation support system that considers the characteristics of sexual violence victims with disabilities, 4) transformation of society into one in which people with disabilities are respected, 5) promotion of initiatives led by sexual violence victims with dis-abilities, and 6) strengthening of crime prevention systems.
Key words: sexual violence victims with disabilities, consultation and support, questionnaire survey
Japanese Journal of Social Welfare, 64 (5), 1-17 2024