Why does domestic violence(abuse) occur?
The nature of domestic abuse is using power overand controlling the weak

You don’t have to face this alone. You can ask for help.
【DV Help Center】●Women’s Protection Service Osaka
Osakafu jyosei soudan

senta(大阪府女性相談センター)
Hours: 9:00～20:00＊Closed on national holidays, year-end and new year
Tel number: 06-6949-6022 / 06-6946-7890
Address: Down Center 3F, 1-3-49 Otemae, Chuo-ku,
Osaka-shi●Spousal Violence Counseling and Support CenterHaiguusha bouryoku soudan shiensenta(配偶者 暴力 相談支援センター)
Hours: 9:00～17:45＊Closed on Sat, Sun, national holidays, year-end andnew year
Tel number: 072-751-3012
Address: Ikeda Kodomo Katei Center, 9-17 Masumi-cho,Ikeda-shi

Power and Control Wheel
Domestic violence (abuse) is not just a personal mattersuch as arguments between couples. Rather, it is malebehavior that controls females in an intimate relationshipsuch as dating and marriage, and occurs within thecontext of the power balance in which males aremasters and females are servants. The diagram aboveshows the structure of domestic abuse. Once this wheel
structure starts rolling, the victim of the domestic abusefeels anxious, nervous, fearful and powerless, andbegins prioritizing the abuser’s wants.
Societal pressures such as “children need parents”, and“women stay at home and men go to work” hinder
women’s economic independence, and discourage
divorce so that women remain under abusive
circumstances.

Impact of Domestic Abuse
Domestic abuse results not only in physical injuries but
also trigger somatic symptoms such as sleeplessness,headache, palpitation, diarrhea, stomach ache, or cause
PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and traumatizes
victims.
Children in households with domestic abuse are affected,
too. Children who witness domestic abuse show mental/emotional instability such as crying at night, and wetting
themselves. It may also affect the developmental
process and seriously impact their ability forinterpersonal relationships.

The above is a diagram which was modified from the“Power and Control Wheel” of Domestic Abuse
Intervention Project from Duluth City, Minnesota.

Minoh City offers in-person and telephone consultations.
Just having someone to talk to may help you feel better.
Your concerns are not insignificant. You can speak freely
without worry.

●In-person consultation for women
jyosei no tame no mensetsu soudan(女性のための 面接 相談)
A female counselor will listen to you and help you with yourworries and concerns so that you can move forward.
(Reservation required)
Hours: Tue and Fri 13:00～16:00＊Closed on national holidays, year-end and new year
Place: Gender Equality OfficeDanjyokyoudou sangaruumu(男女 協働 参画ルーム)
Fee: freeTel number for reservation: 072-724-6943●Telephone consultation for women
jyosei no tame no denwa soudan(女性のための電話相談)
A female counselor will listen to you and together try to finda solution for your worries and concerns you are facing.
Hours: Mon and Wed 13:00～16:00＊Closed on national holidays, year-end and new year
Tel number for consultation: 072-723-3654
Human Rights Measures Section (Gender EqualityOffice)Minohshijinkenbunkabu

j i n k e n sesakushitsu

Danjyo kyoudou sangaruumu

箕面市人権文化部人権施策室（男女協働参画ルーム）
Address: Minoh City Office 3rd annex, 1-14-5 Ina,Minoh-shi 〒562-0015
Tel: 072-724-6943
Fax: 072-725-8360
Email: jinken@maple.city.minoh.lg.jp
http://www.city.minoh.lg.jp/jinken/index.html
Issued in November, 2010. Revised in April, 2018

DVis abuse that is perpetrated by someone in
an intimate relationship, such as a husband or partner.

Domestic violence is not only physical abuse.
When you hear “abuse”, you may imagine physicalabuse that results in bodily injuries. However, it isDomestic

intertwined with emotional, economic, and sexualcomponents, and with repeated occurrences.

Violence
Are you living a safe
and secure life?

Beating, kicking, pushing, pulling hairand dragging, throwing objects at the victim,
slashing with a kitchen knife, choking,pushing down from stairs, burning the victim
using a cigarette or boiling water, etc.

Accusing, insulting, threatening, yelling,
ignoring, kicking out of the house, destroying
treasured items, etc.

Forcing unwanted sexual activity,refusing to use contraceptive devices, forcing
abortion, forcing to look at pornography,
treating the victim like an object, etc.

Not allowing the victim to work oraccess to money, surveilling and counting
every penny spent, running up debt, etc.

Controlling the victim from seeing
family and friends, checking calls or emails,
eavesdropping, surveilling the victim`sactions

Beating in front of children, insulting infront of children by saying things such as“stupid”, “failure as a parent”, exposing
children to danger (including child abuse), etc.

What constitutes domestic abuse (violence)? It is not

Other comments may include, “Who do you think is putting

onlycouple.

food on the table?”, “You are only a woman!” They may

Understanding DV as a social issue is the first step tojustify the abuse by saying, “I barely pushed you.”, “Itsolving the problem of domestic abuse.

happens in every household.”, “It’s because you made mequarrels

betweenamarriedangry.” The abuse can vary from small acts to life
threatening abuse.
Minohshi jinken bunkabu jinken sesakushitsu Danjyo kyoudou sangaruumu

箕面市人権文化部人権 施策室 （男女 協働 参画ルーム）

Abuse does not always come from men. Men can also be

Human Rights Measures Section (Gender Equality Office)victims of abuse by their female partners. It can also
happen between male couples and female couples.

What is the Cycle of Domestic Abuse？

It is said that there are three phases in the cycle of violence asshown on the diagram on the left. In most cases, the abusers

Crisis Phase

will apologize and express their love after perpetrating abuse.

Abusers are not able to control
their emotions and explodein anger, resulting in violence.

The victims may blame themselves and think they themselves
did something wrong. They may think, “This is not his true self.
He is normally a kind person.” They hope it will not happen

Tension-Building
phaseAbusers’ tension builds up
and they become irritable.
Small violent actions suchas yelling occurs.

Calm Phaseagain and stay in their current situation. However, theAbusers become apologetic
and beg for forgiveness. But
this phase does not last long.

perpetrators continue to be abusive because they want tomaintain their own mental stability. When tension builds, evensmall things set them off. As this cycle repeats, violence
escalates, leading to critical situations. As a result, the victims
gradually lose the opportunity and the will to leave.

Domestic abuse happens to those around us
If you have been abused
You and your partner may have started out in a loving
relationship. You might be in disbelief at what is happening if
you are being abused such as being beaten, kicked, or called“Idiot!” by your spouse. If you are a victim of domestic abuse,

If someone close to you becomes a victim ofdomestic abuse
First, listen to the person and believe what they say. Let themknow that it is not their fault. Offering opinions or attitudes
such as wanting to hear the partner’s side of the story or
saying they should be more patient with trivial matters are not
helpful. It hurts the victims and they may stop seeking help.

you don’t have to face it alone. You don’t have to think, “I
just have to accept it and live with this.”

It is not your fault. Whatever the abuse, physical, emotionalor sexual, you are not at fault for your partner’s abusive
behavior. Take courage and talk to someone regarding yourfamily matters. You have every right to seek help for yourself
and for your children’s future.

You can seek help from consulting services, shelters and thepolice in Osaka prefecture. It does not matter if your injuries
are not serious. They can contact the appropriate resources
and help you through these issues. Any acts that control
your desires or actions can be abuse; it is the highest ofpriorities to remove yourself from suffering.

In Japan, it was considered to be shameful to talk to anyone
outside the family about family matters. People often did not
get involved if a victim explained that injuries such as bruises
were from an ‘accident’ such as falling off a bicycle.
However, violence should never be part of any relationship.
Listening to and supporting victims and providing information
can help. In case of emergency, do not try to resolve thesituation yourself. Rather, inform DV consultation services or
the police.

To those who want to stop abusing
Have you lost the sense of who you truly are? Is your mindset
based on stereotypical ideas such as ‘men are thebreadwinners’ and ‘men should not show signs of weakness’?
Do you tend to take out your anger on those economically or
physically at a disadvantage such as your spouse or children
when circumstances around your job is unsatisfactory? Do youdismiss your abuse and blame the victim instead of taking
responsibility? Your spouse is an autonomous person; she is
not your property, but an important life partner. You must get
rid of gender stereotypes and stop forcing those ideas ontoothers. Rethink your way of living and speak to them about
your true feelings. Abusing and threating others are never thesolution.

Do you know about the Anti-Domestic Violence Act?

If you discover someone who is being abused

On April 6, 2001, the Act on the Prevention of Spousal
Violence and the Protection of Victims (Anti-DomesticViolence Law) was passed and came into effect half a year
later (Proclaim: Apr 13, 2001 / Effective: Oct 13, 2001/
Regulations regarding institutions such as Spousal ViolenceCounseling and Support Center/ Effective: Apr 1, 2002).

It is legally mandated that those who discover that a person has
been subjected to spousal violence must endeavor to report itto the police or to the Spousal Violence Counseling andSupport Center. Doctors and medical workers who are underconfidentiality shall report cases with the consent of the victim
as well as endeavor to inform the victim about the Spousal
Violence Counseling and Support Center, etc. It is always
important to prioritize the safety of the victim.

The main amendments issued in the protection order in
December 2004 were to protect ex-spouses, to prohibit
approaching the victim’s children, to extend the time to twomonths for the abuser to leave the home where the couple
resides. (Effective: Dec 2, 2004)
With the January 2008 amendment, it became possible tofile a petition for a protection order even solely against
threats, to prohibit contacting the victim via phone calls andemail, etc. and to prohibit approaching relatives, etc. The
amendatory law that was established and came into effect(Effective: Jan 11, 2008) obliged each municipality toformulate their own prefectural basic plan, to revise theregulations of the Spousal Violence Counseling andSupport Center, and for the court to send notification of theprotection order to the Center.
The amendatory law which was established and came intoeffect (Effective: Jan 3, 2014) was extended to include
abuse in unmarried couples living under the sameresidence (excluding married couples who are not living
together). The name of the Act was changed to the Act on
the Spousal Violence and the Protection of Victims.

Who does this law apply to?
This law applies to ①spouse ②de facto state of marriage③abuse by an ex-spouse after the divorce ④abuse by
their unmarried partner living under the same residence(excluding married couples who are not living together)
Spousal Violence Counseling and Support Center
Although there was no public institution that was specificallydesignated for domestic abuse, Women’s Protection
Osakafu jyosei soudan

sentaService Osaka (大阪府女性相談センター) and Osaka ChildOsakafu

kodomokatei

sentaand Family Center (大阪府子ども家庭センター) serve thefunctions of the Spousal Violence Counseling and Support
Center from April 2002.
Consultation is available not only for physical abuse, but
any other kind of abuse. In addition, there are services suchas referrals to other appropriate institutions, access to
medical and psychological support, information and support
for temporary protection care, economic independence,
filing a petition for protection order, and utilizing facilities
such as shelters.

Domestic Violence is a crime!
Protection Order
Victims of domestic violence can file a petition for a
protection order directly to the district court.
(In cases of further possibilities of harm from physical violence,
threat to life or critical injury)
The following five are the protection orders:① Prohibition of approaching the victim and the places
normally frequented by the victim for 6 months.
【Restraining Order】② Prohibition of the 8 actions while the Restraining
Order is in effect.
【Prohibition Order of calling the victim, etc.】③ Prohibition of approaching the children who residewith the victim or loitering around them while theRestraining Order is in effect.
【Restraining Order to the victim’s children】④ Prohibition of approaching relatives, etc. or loitering
around them while the Restraining Order is in effect.
【Restraining Order to the relatives, etc】
⑤ Order to Leave the residence, where the spouse andthe victim resided together, for a period of 2 months.
【Order to Leave】
Non-compliance to the orders results in imprisonment
or fine up to 1,000,000 yen.
The following documents ①～③ are required to file apetition for protection order.
① Description of acts of violence that led to injuries to thevictim’s body or threats to the victim’s life
② Reasons for the possibility of receiving significant
bodily harm or threat to life
③ Documentation of the names of institutions consulted(ex. Spousal Violence Counseling and Support
Centers, the police), the dates and contents of theconsultations, and the measures that were carried out.
※If you did not consult with DV centers or the police,
a statement/declaration including the acts of violenceagainst the victim is required.