Designer is tired of posters that focus on what women should do to protect themselves.
Despite repeated social awareness campaigns, chikan, men who forcefully grope women (particularly on crowded commuter trains) remain a problem in Japan. While attempts by law enforcement agencies and rail operators warning passengers to be on their guard are made with good intentions, Japanese plus-size model and social activist Marie Egbuhulam (@beauty_dor on Twitter) thinks there’s a better way to address the situation.
Egbuhulam, whose causes also include animal welfare projects, recently created two anti-chikan posters of her own, sharing them through her Twitter account.
“I’m tired of anti-chikan posters that only call for women to take precautions against them,” tweeted Egbuhulam with the posters, “so I made my own.”
The first, showing a clearly upset Egbuhulam, includes the text:
“What!?
Don’t act like you don’t notice what’s happening. This is everyone’s problem.
Because chikan incidents are sexual violence!
Chikan incidents are not a problem between men and women. They are a problem between assailants and society. As a member of society, work together to eradicate sex crimes.”
The second poster takes aim at non-physical, but still reprehensible offenses.
“I saw you secretly take a peeping photo. You know what’s going to happen now, right?
Peeping photos are a form of sexual violence, and a cowardly crime. If you see someone taking peeping photos, please inform the authorities [via this QR code].
Report what happened at the scene where you saw the incident take place. This can be done anonymously. As a member of society, please help to eradicate sex crimes.”
So far, the posters have received an extremely positive response on Twitter for their open anger and exasperation at chikan, with reactions including:
“I seriously want rail operators to put these up!”
“These have everything that’s missing from the anti-chikan posters currently out there.”
“Saying it this bluntly is exactly the right thing to do.”
“Posters that ask victims to do something promote more crime.”
“Seeing the words written on the posters, it’s like a template you can rely on if you encoutner a chikan.”
“Chikan should be punished with torture!”
As a purely independent project from Egbuhulam, there’s currently no plan for the posters to go into actual circulation, but even if Twitter and other online outlets are the only place where they can be seen, hopefully they’ll still be able to effect positive change.
Source: Twitter/@beauty_dor via Jin
Images: Twitter/@beauty_dor
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