[/floatr]Yomiuri: Sexual-assault rate in Osaka Pref. is nation's worstWomen were more likely to be sexually assaulted in Osaka Prefecture than any other prefecture last year, according to figures supplied by the National Police Agency. The data, which covered Tokyo and all 46 prefectures, found that last year one rape or other kind of sexual assault was reported in Osaka Prefecture for every 4,200 female residents. In Tokyo, one sexual assault was recorded for every 4,600 female residents...The greatest number of sexual assaults against women occurred in Tokyo, with 1,390 acknowledged cases, with Osaka in second place with 1,078 cases. The Osaka prefectural police force has responded to the frequency of such crimes, assigning two full-time female police officers since spring to a telephone consultation service called Woman Line. According to the National Police Agency, 9,430 sex crimes were reported in the nation last year, comprising 1,766 rapes, and 7,664 other sexual assaults...Osaka's ratio was twice that of Kanagawa Prefecture, which has a similar number of female residents, and nearly five times that of Yamagata Prefecture, which had the lowest figure of any prefecture...According to the police, many victims of rape or other sexual assault last year lived alone in apartments. Most of them were attacked from behind soon after opening the door of their apartment. Some offenders managed to enter buildings equipped with auto-lock systems by waiting for a resident to open the door, and then hid in stairwells until they found a target. Many victims also were attacked on the street while talking on their cell phone, an activity police said can give people a false sense of security about their personal safety. "People let their guard down when they are on their way home, or talking to people [who they feel close to]. It's the most dangerous moment," a police officer said...more...
Image from Metropolitan Police website.
