crime

Police launch 'chikan eradication' campaign at Ikebukuro Station

34 Comments

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department and several railway companies have kicked off a "chikan" (train groper) eradication campaign.

The campaign began at Tokyo's Ikebukuro Station on Friday with an event to promote public awareness of the problem, NTV reported.

Police said that as Oct 31, they had arrested 48 persons for allegedly groping women on trains within the last 10 months. Police said, however, that the number of offenses is probably greater as many victims never report being groped.

The campaign urges women who are groped, and anyone who sees a woman being groped on a train, to alert station authorities or call 110.

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34 Comments
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Indeed. It's the only really effective way to catch molesters, either by being on hand to witness a crime or acting as "bait"

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Undercover policewomen would be a good idea

You're right - which is why they already use them.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Undercover policewomen would be a good idea

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@lucabrasiNOV. 10, 2014 - 11:02PM JST

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I believe you, Some women, like you, are sttomger than men and they can clobber a man,

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@Skeeter

Yeah I had a similar experience. Punched the guy so hard his head literally came off his neck, taking his spinal column with it, and flew through the train window on to the tracks. He got off at the next stop.

But nobody believes me either....

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I think train groper include both men and women, Now chikans have to be caredful. there are people who ride on train and enjoy to look for chikans actions than reading something,

0 ( +0 / -0 )

You notice it focuses only on ladies getting gropped. I have seen women doing this too! True it was only one time but ONE time nevertheless. But, I don't think most men would say anything too.

I was with my ex some years ago and a guy was really doing a good job grabbing her behind, my ex told me and I reached back and BROKE all five of the guys fingures. Felt each one snap or crack. I saw the guy run off at the very next station the train came to.

I was with my wife at that time, and frankly speaking I do not regret breaking his fingures and I feel he will never do it again.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

@Dennis BauerNOV. 10, 2014 - 11:14AM JST Is there a chikan mascot? Every campaign needs a mascot! ;)

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If you love chikans actions, how about donate your cat face? For generations females were ranked between cat and fish. Famoius females whose husbands chase after females openly said their husbands are cats who chase after fish, Every time I see your cat face, I recall famous Japanese opera singer and his lover singer and his wife's declaration. So, your cat face will fit perfect mascot for chikans,

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Is there a chikan mascot? Every campaign needs a mascot! ;)

2 ( +2 / -0 )

@DisillusionedNOV. 09, 2014 - 09:37AM JST Foreigners beware! Grabbing a groper can get you in more trouble than the offender. I grabbed a joker for taking up skirt photos on an escalator at a train staition in Chiba few years ago. He was detained for about 20 minutes, whereas I was detained for two hours and was told by the flops to stay out of Japan trouble. I've removed women from awkward situations on trains quite a few times, usually high school girls being ogled by some drunken oyaji. I push my way in between them and have been abused by the oyaji as many times as I have done it. It's good to see an awareness campaign, but I don't think it will do much to prevent chikan

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You grabbed a groper and you were detained more. Sorry but Police station must have mistaken you as a gay chikan. Next time, don;t grab a man chikan,

1 ( +3 / -2 )

If there were any available seats, I'd rather have my hands resting on my bag on my lap.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

One hand on your bag and the other on the overhead strap. It`s the safest way to travel.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

"Foreigners beware! Grabbing a groper can get you in more trouble than the offender."

Yikes! If that be the case ( and it is ), let's follow the cops' advice:

"The campaign urges women who are groped, and anyone who sees a woman being groped on a train, to alert station authorities or call 110."

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@ disillusioned...

Are you serious? Why were you 'detained' if you reported it? I'm a bit confused about that, you were a witness and should technically be free to leave whenever you wish.....Oops, maybe in Japan you are 'detained' for questioning too...

Ridiculous..

It's 2014 Japan...

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Why the need to grope a woman on a train? That desperate or hopeless in scoring.

ZERO respect for people who can't won't control their urges and baser instincts, may it be on a train, company function, whatever.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

I've never felt the need to grope a woman on the train.

Ha Haven't found the right one

-6 ( +1 / -6 )

"Promoting public awareness ..."

Please.

More form over substance. J-Cops trying to look like they're doing something to justify their salaries. Who still doesn't know it's not o.k. to grab strangers on the train? Do they really think some drunk old man is going to pause long enough to think, "I haven't had sex in years. I'm sooo damn horny. Hey look, there's a hot young thing. Normally I'd cop a quick feel, but now that I'm aware it's wrong, I shall refrain"?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

LoL.. can't understand why would anyone grope. In my book those are loser. Scum of society. The gropers have no balls or whatever it is to court a woman the normal way.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Foreigners beware! Grabbing a groper can get you in more trouble than the offender. I grabbed a joker for taking up skirt photos on an escalator at a train staition in Chiba few years ago. He was detained for about 20 minutes, whereas I was detained for two hours and was told by the flops to stay out of Japan trouble. I've removed women from awkward situations on trains quite a few times, usually high school girls being ogled by some drunken oyaji. I push my way in between them and have been abused by the oyaji as many times as I have done it. It's good to see an awareness campaign, but I don't think it will do much to prevent chikan.

6 ( +8 / -3 )

There are times when I could swear a women chikan is having a go on me. I'm commuting on very crowded lines, mind you.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I've never felt the need to grope a woman on the train. What scares me is the possibility of being falsely accused. Whenever a woman sits next to me, I make sure everybody can see both of my hands.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

@kaimycahlNOV. 08, 2014 - 11:39PM JST Those who makes the rules breaks the rules. Ha

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Does it apply to women rule makers?. Haven't heard women chikan against men.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Doesn't Japan have "MALE passengers only" trains?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Those who makes the rules breaks the rules. If I can recall isn't the cops being arrested lately for these actions? Perhaps they are cooking th books and not reporting the true numbers because of their rank and file being arrested a lot lately.

0 ( +4 / -3 )

This is a serious problem, but I hate the phrase "raise awareness". The public are more aware to this problem than they are to members of Arashi or AKB48 combined. I do encourage women to confront, call out, scream, identify, or hell, even clobber their molester. I wish to have the truly guilty punished. Though I feel for the women of these horrendous crimes, the exposed suffer dearly for the accusation, whether they are the true aggressor or not. Innocent men are accused often, and sometimes lose everything because of mistaken identity. If the police took a more balanced pledge to assure both victim and accused would get justice, then I'm all for this measure. But from what I've heard (and I'll be honest, a lot of hearsay), that is not always the case. Victims are often coddled, and the alleged chikan is demonized in an impartial, unfair, doubt-stricken manner. Even experts have said (on this site, I think!) if someone calls you out to be a chikan, whether you're guilty or not, your best option is to RUN. On the tracks if necessary. Some men just need to be lucky, it seems. Both to get away with it, and to not be extorted by some bad women, bias cops, or patriarchal laws.

My idea? Have a sign that instead says, with large print, "Thinking of touching her?" then, with smaller boldened text, it would read "50,000Y fine, exposed as a chikan at your job, you'll be fired, your wife finds out, your kids find out, expensive lawyer fees, divorce, possible jail time with real criminals, no pension, ridiculed by your friends, you'll lose your house, and forever be known as a pervert." Then, maybe, at the bottom, it says something like "Just don't do it." or simply "Yada." Maybe make a few different ones, with an attractive short skirt-wearing young high school girl reading a book, or a shapely 20-something minding her own business (maybe on her cell phone), or hell, even a nurse or flight attendant. Whatever gets the main point across.

My take on those funny "Ie de yarou" posters. :)

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Just send them all to the chikan role play shops around the west exit.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Maybe they should have GROPIING and NON GROPING train cars! After reading this, I burst out laughing. What an enjoyable comment!!!

0 ( +4 / -5 )

Maybe they should just have GROPING and NON GROPING train cars!

1 ( +7 / -6 )

Not doing a very good job then, are they?

5 ( +5 / -1 )

There are police women (chikan squad) who ride trains to catch malefactors who molest rush-hour womanhood

0 ( +1 / -1 )

So if you want to touch a bird up, I assume the message is get on at Ueno this weekend?

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Mirai: "I don't know how they plan to do this when some of those chikans ARE the police..."

You beat me to it. In any case, it's another bandaid on a bullet hole. Good that they're trying to do SOMETHING about a ery serious and prevalant problem, but really it won't have any effect on trying to stop the problem itself, and definitely won't eradicate it. If they can do more to raise awareness in general, though, as they talk about with encouraging those who see 'chikan' to come forward and better yet to call them out immediately, then THAT is a good thing.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

I don't know how they plan to do this when some of those chikans ARE the police...

16 ( +18 / -2 )

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