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Answerman - Is Subway Groping Really A Big Deal In Japan?


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GNX903VSBrave



Joined: 20 Feb 2017
Posts: 26
PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2017 1:15 pm Reply with quote
Well that was pretty depressing to read. If I had daughter, I wouldn't necessarily be comfortable sending her there, especially if she had to take the train to work or school.

I wonder if these people lack self-control or have somehow grown up to believe that this is acceptable. I guess if it shows up in porn, maybe it normalizes it to them? I don't know... At least some steps are being taken to stem the tide of it.
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Tempest
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2017 1:29 pm Reply with quote
GNX903VSBrave wrote:
Well that was pretty depressing to read. If I had daughter, I wouldn't necessarily be comfortable sending her there, especially if she has take the train to work or school.


The interesting thing there is that taking the train is much more common place in Japan than it is in the West. I believe Justin covered this in a previous Answerman, but it is in fact very common to see 6-year-olds alone on the train or in the metro (subway).

While it would be possible for an elementary school child to go to a school within walking distance, as a teen or adult it would be almost impossible to live in Tokyo and not take the train or metro on a daily basis.

Of course, young-children are not the target of these molesters, it becomes an issue later in life.

I've never seen it happen myself, but it's very easy to see how it happens and why men think they can get away with it. During peak rush-hours, especially the early morning (before 9am) and the also the late night (after 11pm) trains going to the suburbs, the trains and metro are packed ridiculously tight. You are pressed up against people on all sides. There is literally no where to move.


Last edited by Tempest on Mon Feb 27, 2017 1:33 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Levitz9



Joined: 06 Feb 2007
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Location: Puerto Rico
PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2017 1:31 pm Reply with quote
An old EGM column by Seanbaby talked about this once. I had an epiphany about this kind of thing when he made the remark, "There are subway trains that have signs reminding people not to take upskirt photos. How widespread does a problem have to be for people to have to put up signs like that?!"
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GNX903VSBrave



Joined: 20 Feb 2017
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2017 1:44 pm Reply with quote
Levitz9 wrote:
An old EGM column by Seanbaby talked about this once. I had an epiphany about this kind of thing when he made the remark, "There are subway trains that have signs reminding people not to take upskirt photos. How widespread does a problem have to be for people to have to put up signs like that?!"


Those signs are pointless if you think about it. No one does it by accident or carelessly. It's a deliberate action that a mere sign isn't going to stop. It would far more practical to educate women on what to do if they suspect that it's happening, rather than just naively implore to people to stop.
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MarshalBanana



Joined: 31 Aug 2014
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2017 1:47 pm Reply with quote
There was an episode of Miss Machiko where there was a groper on the bus to school and one of the girls was sad because she wasn't groped, and spent the episode wondering if her boobs were to small.
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relyat08



Joined: 20 Mar 2013
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2017 1:53 pm Reply with quote
Another reason that I've seen, as to why a lot of women don't say anything often comes down to them feeling ashamed for being molested. As if this is somehow a knock against their purity, and it is something you, as the victim, should feel bad about. Knowing what I know about Japan, this seems to fall in line with their society pretty well. It's awful, but it makes sense. I'm sure there are cases where they don't know who it is, and where fear overtakes them and they just want to get away, but I wouldn't be surprised if quite a few know who did it, but just refuse to say anything because they don't want to be seen as a shameful victim.
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CatSword



Joined: 01 Jul 2014
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2017 2:08 pm Reply with quote
Whoa. 70% of women reported having been molested on the train? That's...horrific.
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Cptn_Taylor



Joined: 08 Nov 2013
Posts: 925
PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2017 2:24 pm Reply with quote
Groping women and used panty selling machines go hand in hand in Japan.
Little by little we'll civilise them. First ban pediophiliac content, then used underwear and finally let's cut those wandering groping hands. Twisted Evil

Me thinks Japanese males have access to too much erotic manga that objectifies women. With that kind of indoctrination well the consequences are pretty obvious.
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Cutiebunny



Joined: 18 Apr 2010
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2017 2:41 pm Reply with quote
It also happens on commuter buses as well, which can be equally full as many trains during the early evening. I had it happen to me while visiting in Japan, and I assumed that foreigners are more appealing not only because of the exotic aspect, but because most of us don't have the linguistic ability to be able to report it to your average Japanese police officer. The man that groped me had no idea that, in the US, I'm armed at my job, so it's natural for me to react if someone grabs me. He received a couple elbow jabs and then quickly sulked away before I could identify him as wearing anything more than a large green coat and some black pants. I remember thinking at the time that if more women did respond with some simple self defense techniques, many gropers would think twice before they tried it.
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KH91



Joined: 17 May 2013
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2017 2:46 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
There are stories of men being accused of chikan and extorted for hush-money. There are also stories of men being wrongly accused, and all the nightmares that brings.


Funny that this is mentioned since I just watch Shimoneta. lol

GNX903VSBrave wrote:
Well that was pretty depressing to read. If I had daughter, I wouldn't necessarily be comfortable sending her there, especially if she had to take the train to work or school.


Fun fact: It happens worldwide so you might as well keep her in the house, but then again, it'll happen to her there as well. Good luck with that.
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residentgrigo



Joined: 23 Dec 2007
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Location: Germany
PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2017 2:57 pm Reply with quote
Jason should have mentioned the female only cars. That these need to exist says all:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women-only_passenger_car
Edit: And i can´t read.


Last edited by residentgrigo on Mon Feb 27, 2017 11:06 pm; edited 1 time in total
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zrnzle500



Joined: 04 Oct 2014
Posts: 3767
PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2017 3:00 pm Reply with quote
residentgrigo wrote:
Jason should have mentioned the female only cars. That these need to exist says all:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women-only_passenger_car


It is mentioned in the article

Quote:
The problem is so bad that now women-only cars are often offered, with train personnel to enforce the rule.
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Paiprince



Joined: 21 Dec 2013
Posts: 593
PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2017 3:35 pm Reply with quote
Justin only lightly touched on this, but you do know that this issue can be exploited both ways right? There have been cases of totally innocent guys being labeled chikan just because the girl has an axe to grind among other reasons. Same deal with Western girls ruining guys' reputation by loudly declaring them a "rapist." So yeah, don't always assume the woman is the victim when it could be the other way around.
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zrnzle500



Joined: 04 Oct 2014
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2017 3:42 pm Reply with quote
Certainly, due process rights of the accused must be protected, but in the preponderance of cases, the woman is the one victimized. Just because they need to be careful how they prosecute these cases, in the courts of law and public opinion, doesn't mean that women being victimized by men isn't far more salient than the converse
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Kikaioh



Joined: 01 Jun 2009
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2017 3:43 pm Reply with quote
Tempest wrote:
Of course, young-children are not the target of these molesters, it becomes an issue later in life.


To my understanding, that's not true. I've read that young girls also experience groping on trains before even entering high school, and there was a diagram a few years ago that showed that elementary girls seem to be considered the easiest targets for chikan.

http://en.rocketnews24.com/2014/09/02/women-who-attract-chikan-and-women-who-dont-the-illustrated-guide-thats-provoking-debate/



This illustration shows a scale of targets for chikan, moving from the easiest (on the left) to the most difficult (on the right).

If it's any indication, they also put up "beware chikan" signs at public playgrounds as well, not just at train stations.

http://howibecametexan.com/2013/08/29/things-i-hate-about-japan-chikan-perverts/#prettyPhoto


Last edited by Kikaioh on Tue Feb 28, 2017 7:44 am; edited 1 time in total
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