Three former Japanese soldiers were found guilty of sexually assaulting a female colleague and were given suspended jail terms, in a case that garnered national and international attention, BBC reported. The Fukushima court found Shutaro Shibuya, Akito Sekine, and Yusuke Kimezawa guilty of "forced indecency" towards Rina Gonoi during a military drill in 2021 and handed down jail terms of two years, suspended for four years.
Ms Gonoi said she was subjected to persistent harassment after joining Japan's military in 2020. ''When walking down the hallway, someone slaps you on your hip, or holds you from behind,'' she told AFP news agency.
However, during a drill in 2021, the three men allegedly pinned her to the ground, pulled her legs apart, and pressed their crotches against her in the simulation of a sex act. She earlier told the BBC that while around a dozen other colleagues were also present at the time, no one stopped the trio: "Many were laughing."
Following the ordeal, she took to YouTube to speak out against the assault after the higher military officials dismissed the case citing a lack of evidence.
The video went viral, prompting a public outcry to punish the soldiers. More than 100,000 people signed a petition forcing the Ministry of Defence to acknowledge the assault, apologise, and dismiss five of the men involved. Her allegations also sparked a widespread survey by Japan's defense ministry into sexual assault in the military.
"The ruling today proves what they did was a crime - so I want them to face up to it and reflect on their actions. And I hope that this verdict will encourage victims to speak out," Ms Ganoi told reporters outside court.
Ms Gonoi has also lodged a civil case against her former peers and the government, seeking damages for the alleged assault and the subsequent inaction despite her complaints.
Her brave decision to go public with her accusations garnered attention in a conservative society where speaking out against sexual violence has remained largely taboo. Sexual abuse complaints are often disregarded in Japan, and victims also tend to face hate for speaking up.
Inspired by Ms. Gonoi, however, more than 1,400 women and men have submitted their allegations of sexual harassment and bullying in the military following a special inspection by the defence ministry.
Ms. Gonoi was recently included on the BBC 100 Women list of inspiring and influential women from around the world for 2023 and also made it to the TIME100 Next 2023 List.
