Hello and welcome to the details of Japan court finds three guilty of sexually assaulting ex-soldier in landmark case and now with the details
Nevin Al Sukari - Sana'a - Former member of Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force Rina Gonoi arrives on December 12, 2023 at the Fukushima District Court, which found three ex-soldiers guilty of sexually assaulting her. — AFP pic
FUKUSHIMA, Dec 12 — A Japanese court today found three former soldiers guilty of sexually assaulting a female colleague, in a victory for the victim’s long battle for justice which challenged taboos in a traditional, male-dominated society.
The case of 24-year-old former Self-Defence Forces member Rina Gonoi, which has drawn international attention, relates to a 2021 incident during her time in the army when she alleges she was assaulted by three male colleagues.
The defendants, who denied their acts amounted to sexual assault, were each given a two-year suspended sentence, local media reported.
Advertisement
Gonoi, who said she was subjected to persistent harassment after enlisting in 2020, alleged that the three men pinned her to the ground, pulled her legs apart and pressed their crotches against her in simulation of a sex act.
She complained to her superiors at the time of the incident but later decided to leave the army when no action was taken.
After Gonoi went public in 2022, Japan’s defence ministry issued a public apology to her and announced that five men connected to the incident had been dismissed and four others punished. Her allegations also sparked a widespread survey by the Japan’s defence ministry into sexual assault in the military.
Advertisement
Her rare decision to go public with her accusations garnered attention in a conservative, male-dominated society where speaking out against sexual violence has remained largely taboo.
It also coincided with an effort by Japan to recruit more women soldiers and build up its military to deter its powerful neighbour China and nuclear-armed North Korea.
Gonoi’s battle has attracted international recognition: Time Magazine named her on its list of 100 emerging world leaders while the British Broadcasting Corp included her among its 100 most influential women globally.
“I am appreciative of the fact that they value what I’m doing. There is a tendency in Japan when people speak up, they get criticised,” Gonoi told Reuters in an interview ahead of the verdict.
But at home she has also been the target of online vitriol.
“I have gotten many derogatory comments. But I know the world values what I’m doing,” she said.
Separately, Gonoi has also lodged a civil case against her former peers and the government, seeking damages for the alleged assault and the subsequent inaction despite her complaints. — Reuters
These were the details of the news Japan court finds three guilty of sexually assaulting ex-soldier in landmark case for this day. We hope that we have succeeded by giving you the full details and information. To follow all our news, you can subscribe to the alerts system or to one of our different systems to provide you with all that is new.
It is also worth noting that the original news has been published and is available at Malay Mail and the editorial team at AlKhaleej Today has confirmed it and it has been modified, and it may have been completely transferred or quoted from it and you can read and follow this news from its main source.
