Former Ground Self-Defense Force officer who accused the Self-Defense Forces of sexual violence
“The words ‘You are not wrong’ saved me.”
Rina Gonoi (center), a former Japan Ground Self-Defense Force officer who accused the Self-Defense Forces of sexual violence, was presented with the “World’s Women of Courage Award” on the 5th, followed by President Joe Biden’s wife Jill Biden (left) and Antony. Blinken poses for a commemorative photo with US Secretary of State Blinken/EPA/Yonhap News
“The words ‘You are not wrong’ saved my heart.”
Rina Gonoi, a former Self-Defense Forces officer who accused Japan’s Self-Defense Forces of sexual violence, said this after receiving the “World’s Women of Courage Award” at the White House in Washington, D.C., on the 5th. Gonoi was a member of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force in Hokkaido in 2020, when she was the victim of sexual violence by a male member of the same unit. She was subjected to severe physical contact by her superiors in the name of “training” within her unit, and was sexually harassed in her daily life under the pretext of drinking parties with her.
However, Rina Gonoi did not give in to the closed atmosphere within the Self-Defense Forces and informed the media and investigative authorities of this fact. However, after the prosecutor’s office dismissed the case and the media received a lukewarm response, she directly revealed the facts on YouTube. She also collected over 130,000 signatures to raise awareness of the seriousness of this incident. Prosecutors finally began re-investigating the incident, and at the end of last year, the Fukushima District Court found the three Ground Self-Defense Force personnel responsible for the sexual assault guilty of forcible indecency and sentenced them to two years in prison, suspended for four years. The court determined that the defendants’ actions were “despicable and malicious, disregarding the victim’s personality.” Neither the perpetrator nor the prosecutor filed an appeal, and the conviction was finalized.
The U.S. government recognized Gonoi’s courageous actions and selected her as one of 12 recipients of the World’s Courageous Women Award on that day. The U.S. State Department held an award ceremony attended by U.S. President Joe Biden’s wife, Jill Biden, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. He explained the reason for receiving the award. Jill Biden praised the honorees, saying, “The women on this stage refused to be silenced and spoke up for themselves and for everyone else, despite fear and danger.”
After the award ceremony, Gonoi said in an interview with NHK, “The fact that I was able to receive this award even though I have been raising my voice alone (about the injustice of the Self-Defense Forces) means that my actions were not wrong. “In Japan, when I raise my voice, I’m met with slander and slander, but when I feel like I’m about to give up, I get praise overseas, and I get the words “You’re not wrong” directly. I am grateful because it has saved my soul every time.”
On this day, Gonoi attended the award ceremony wearing a judo uniform and attracted attention. Mr. Gonoi said, “Since I was young, I’ve become stronger in mind and body through judo.Even when I spoke out after being victimized in the Self-Defense Forces and felt like my heart was breaking, I was able to recover because of judo.” “(Through judo) I was taught the strength to stand up again and again even after being thrown, and that transformed into the strength to fight in life. I attended the event wearing a judo uniform to pay homage to judo.” Gonoi eventually resigned from the Self-Defense Forces after accusing the force of sexual violence, but has since started a new life as a judo instructor in Yokohama. Gonoi said, “Through judo, I want to convey to people who are worried or suffering the strength to stand up even when you are thrown.”
Reporter Hong Seok-chae (Contact [email protected])
22:42
Translated by HJ
2024-03-05 21:37:04
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