Nagasaki Prefecture ordered to pay damages to U.S. woman over harassment

But [the court] did not hold the local government liable, deeming it fulfilled its obligation to take steps over the incident after the vice principal offered an apology and his and her seating arrangements at the school were changed.

In October, Martin told a press conference that the prefectural board of education had asked her to refrain from going to the police when she lodged her complaint.

An apology and new seat arrangements?! All foreign women should ponder this before taking a job in Japan. The punishment for sexual harassment against you so intense that it leads to suicidal thoughts is “new seat arrangements for him” followed by pressure from authorities to not lodge a complaint.

In October, Martin told a press conference that the prefectural board of education had asked her to refrain from going to the police when she lodged her complaint.

Japan real #MeToo

500,000 and not 2,000,000???..... lol!!

FizzBitToday  07:37 am JST

Sounds like a gold digging attempt.

Yes, because it couldn't possibly be true.

One kiss on the neck?

How many unwanted kisses on the neck are acceptable before being deemed harrasment or assault?

Maybe Martin was wearing a miniskirt or low low top at the family festival, maybe not. Still, fragile folks should not travel out of their comfort zones.

So when women in burkas are harrassed what's your fallback justification?

The court also recognized that the then vice principal of a prefectural high school where she worked once a week made sexual remarks to her at a party held after a school festival in 2016.

Since the word "advances" is not used, I suspect these are comments about her breasts, her legs, or her behind. I taught eikaiwa in the early 1990s and some Japanese students would make comments like that to female teachers. I wouldn't be surprised if they still do. This may have been socially acceptable at some time in the past, but it is certainly not now. If vice principals in schools need to be told this, then yes, they should all be forced to attend "don't be sexist to your staff" sessions until they get the message.

Sexual harassment is often a problem in Japan, but I had no idea that it was even being dealt with by foreign women working in Japan. It is disrespectful to the women who come all the way to Japan to work here, and I don't think it does anyone any good to have such people in the educational field.

Complaint harassment seems weak for all that judicial energy consuming result process. I understand why education board asked not to go to police.

Maybe a slap in the face from her or a conversation from a male friend to those idiots would have cleared the situation forever and for free.

Because if every Japanese woman would sue that way, it would be dismissed in order to save the ha harmony.

Doesn’t matter where she came from, the work environment was male driven sexually charged. It’s disgusting but sadly part of the unique Japanese culture. I disagree with the compensation amount but I’m sure she will tell everybody who will listen about how backwards Japanese thinking and law is.

My first year as an ALT in Kagoshima city , our supervisor was the typical yes man looking for a raise and butt kissing the board of education leader constantly. He openly admitted to choosing “pretty blonde women” to appeal to the head honcho…

he would make us go into the dudes office to sing happy birthday, make sure the pretty white women sat next to the guy and all the men standing, then at work parties demand he and only the top 5 women sat next to the leader, making it known during kanpai that he arranged that with a big dumb smile on his face.

this kind of sexual harassment is well in force here and almost no protection against it other than quitting and going public. The fact they gave her the equivalent of a seasonal bonus for this though is laughable. Keep burning them girl.

all the ladies that year hard quit and hilariously the supervisor didn’t get his promotion. But instead got moved to a different office because they were sick of his brown nosing

""he held Martin by her shoulders and kissed her on the neck at his residence while preparing for a school event in 2018.""

So why was she at his home in the place, isn't that against the rules?

I am NOT saying what he did is acceptable in any way, but Ms. Martin should have known better.

MarkToday 04:52 pm JST"

So why was she at his home in the place, isn't that against the rules?

I am NOT saying what he did is acceptable in any way, but Ms. Martin should have known better

Known better than what? To visit the home of a trusted co-worker she needed to collaborate with on a school project? Are you saying that women should never, ever, trust male co-workers enough to be alone with them even for work purposes? And if they do, it's their fault if they are sexually harassed?

Maybe you should re-think that.

CrickyToday 03:25 pm JST

I disagree with the compensation amount but I’m sure she will tell everybody who will listen about how backwards Japanese thinking and law is.

Yeah, because it is.

Why’s Nagasaki prefecture office paying? The offenders should be coughin’ up, and not that chump change neither, that amount is offensive as well.

I don’t know if 500,000 yen made it worth the 7 years of life tied up in some words and a kiss on the neck.

hope she can move on now. Actually I hope she has already moved on years ago and that this is just like an epilogue to the story.

Western women get targeted and killed in Japan at worst and suggestive comments at least.

I’ve had women crying their eyes out in front of me on a couple of occasions due to harassment and stalking

I understand she was sexually harassed but a kiss on the neck and unwanted sexual comments made her contemplate suicide, I feel, is a bit extreme.

SpeedToday 10:09 pm JST

I understand she was sexually harassed but a kiss on the neck and unwanted sexual comments made her contemplate suicide, I feel, is a bit extreme.

This is the absolute perfect example of how men just cannot fathom the effects that sexual harassment and assault have on women.

Brave person.

I hope she writes about this and sells her story to a progressive entertainment outlet.

Her story would make a great 90-minute made for TV special.

One kiss on the neck?

Would you be comfortable with one kiss on the neck from some dude you worked with?

And if so, how many would it take for you to become uncomfortable, or would you just put up with it so as not to be thought of as a gold digger?

quote: Are you saying that women should never, ever, trust male co-workers enough to be alone with them even for work purposes?

If I was female, that would be my default position. It's not her fault that she was there, but if I was a woman, I would assume guys were pond life until I had reasonable evidence that they were not. Trust needs to be earned. As a bloke, I am wary around women I don't know, keep some distance from them, and dislike being alone with them until I feel I can trust them.

I would also take classes in self defence, and be prepared to punch out anyone that grabbed or groped me, on the spot. There would be consequences, but I'd make sure they came off worst, one way or another.

None of this is her fault and those responsible should have paid a larger fine and been kicked out of education, as they were clearly not trustworthy around others and terrible role models for kids.

I lived in Japan from 2005 until 2012, and as an ALT from 2005 - 2009. I would say that level of sexual harassment was common during that time period. I'm curious about the nationality of the male ALT.

In Japan, for those of you who don't know, inviting someone over to your residence is equivalent to asking them for consent, and the man is expected to be aggressive and the woman is expected to protest in play. It's part of the culture. In my prefecture, about one female ALT would go home a year after making the mistake of inviting a Japanese guy to her house and undergoing a harrowing, traumatic situation for someone raised in a culture where no means no.

Would you be comfortable with one kiss on the neck from some dude you worked with?

I certainly wouldn’t spend 7 years worth of mental and spiritual on it to get 500,000 yen. Oh and it wasn’t same sex, so mine would be from a female.

so, both the female and the male coworker (ALT) are non Japanese?

Dennis wrote

In Japan, for those of you who don't know, inviting someone over to your residence is equivalent to asking them for consent, and the man is expected to be aggressive and the woman is expected to protest in play. 

but if the male coworker is not Japanese, this scenario doesn't fit.

It is not to blame the culture but the person responsible is to be blamed.

GBR48Today 03:05 am JST

If I was female, that would be my default position. It's not her fault that she was there, but if I was a woman, I would assume guys were pond life until I had reasonable evidence that they were not. Trust needs to be earned.

For most women, this is a given. At the same time, how are we supposed to say "no" when we are asked to work together with men in situations like this?

I often take business trips with a male colleague that requires us to entertain clients late at night. If my colleague did something untoward, would it somehow be my fault? Or should I refuse all business trips that would put me in that situation even though it would mean the end of my career? Is that our choice?

As a bloke, I am wary around women I don't know, keep some distance from them, and dislike being alone with them until I feel I can trust them.

Right, your fear of a female you don't know is exactly the same of womens' fear of men they don't know. Riiiight.

I would also take classes in self defence, and be prepared to punch out anyone that grabbed or groped me, on the spot. There would be consequences, but I'd make sure they came off worst, one way or another.

Thank you, Mr. Man, for letting us ladies know we are Dong It All Wrong, and you, as a MAN (TM) know best.

I certainly wouldn’t spend 7 years worth of mental and spiritual on it to get 500,000 yen.

Good for you, but you didn't answer the question, would you be comfortable with some dude kissing you on the neck?

Oh and it wasn’t same sex, so mine would be from a female.

It was an entirely unwanted kiss. From your comment, it appears you would somewhat welcome a kiss on the neck from a woman, so considering a man kissing you on the neck is clearly a better way of putting yourself in her shoes.

The Nagasaki District Court ordered the local government to pay 500,000 yen in damages to Hannah Martin, who had sought 2 million yen

Why does Japan do this? People would sought a decent amount of money for a case, but the courts would only give them a small fraction of what they wanted!

In October, Martin told a press conference that the prefectural board of education had asked her to refrain from going to the police when she lodged her complaint.

The fact that they asked her not to "cause a scene" should've been enough for the court to see that the BOE knew they effed up and wanted to sweep it under the table! I think she should sue both of those guys individually for the 2 mil for the anguish they caused. Of course the money wouldn't make her feel better, but it would be a win. I would say send them to jail, but since its a crime against a foreigner, they would most likely protect their own.