A groping-prevention flyer created by the Nishinomiya Police Station of Hyogo Prefectural Police and the Nishinomiya Crime Prevention Association has caused a stir and is being recalled.
Does “quiet-looking” mean “defenseless”? Complaints over groping-prevention flyer lead to recall (Asahi Shimbun Digital) – Yahoo! News
You can see what kind of crime-prevention flyer it was here.
According to the article, it seems the flyer was produced in June last year and distributed at summer festivals and fireworks events last year.
About 100 copies were apparently left over. They were handed out at an elementary school safety event, and the remaining copies were placed at a community center. After someone who saw the flyer called to complain, it appears the situation led to a recall.
Is It All the Woman’s Fault?
As shown on the flyer, examples of people who may be more likely to be targeted by gropers included personality traits such as having a “quiet demeanor,” which would be difficult for women to change. Lines like “revealing clothing” are also hard to define, and one reason for the backlash may have been that the flyer gave the impression that women were entirely to blame.
Finally
Carrying and using a personal alarm can be difficult, so maybe smartphones should come with a built-in personal alarm-style feature. It would be great if a system could be developed that quietly sends a message like “Please help” to smartphones behind you within about one meter, without alerting the groper.
