1. Abstract
Background Concepts
The child guidance center must take action, including temporary custody, to secure the child’s safety when a custodian commits “child abuse” (used in the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act) based on the faith of particular religion or belief system (Inspiration or any other method that is almost impossible to demonstrate and that arouses personal fear.)
When the center finds a possibility of ongoing child abuse, they are required to judge comprehensively, including the situations of children and custodians, such as living environment, rather than following examples from the Q&A section. The judgment must be made by the children’s side.
The response for those other than custodians
Abuse of a child could be punished by applying Penal Code such as Assault, Indecency through Compulsion, Abandonment by a Person Responsible for Their Care, and anyone dictating or advising these acts for custodians could constitute co-principals, inducements, or accessories; thus, one should accuse the case for police timely.
2. Categorizations of possible scenarios
| Categories of Abuse | Examples |
|---|---|
| Physical Abuses | Force children to participate in religious behavior through corporal punishment Whipping children during religious rites as they did not listen to the lecture seriously and other reasons Force children to keep specific behavior or posture for a long time; force children to participate in religious rites late at night (also listed as psychological abuse, and neglect) |
| Psychological Abuses | Force children to keep specific behavior or posture for a long time; force children to participate in religious rites late at night (also listed as physical abuse, neglect) Provoke and fuel anxiety through the languages, videos, and materials; ignoring; harassing; violating the free will of children (also listed as neglect) Threaten or rejecting attitude to restrict friendships or marriage; call children’s friends “Satan,” “enemy,” and so on. Prohibiting any entertainment such as tales, animes, mangas, or games; or restricting them on the basis of religious organization’s standards Force children to announce their faith in front of others; force children to wear accessories or anything that clearly shows their faith in a certain religion. Force children to preach etc., by provoking anxiety using language, etc. Threaten or reject attitude for the sake of forcing children to participate in preaching; call children’s friends “Satan,” etc. Without any rational reasons but religious doctrines prohibit children’s entering or attending high school (also listed as neglect) Prohibit children’s entering or attending college(higher education?) by threatening to use language Confiscate children’s salary and scholarships for high school and college, and consume them to contradict children’s will or ignore children’s life Not considering an appropriate nurturing environment or securing an educational opportunity and limiting children’s participation in various school events (also listed as neglect) Materially fail to nurture children due to participation in faith-based or preaching activities (novice, seminar, pilgrimage) (also listed as neglect) Discourage getting higher education or a job by using threatening language or an attitude of rejection, such as ignoring |
| Sexual Abuses | Showing materials or telling inappropriate sexual content to children as an “education.” Force children to speak out about their sexual experiences for a member of a religious organization (also listed as neglect) |
| Neglect | Force children to keep specific behavior or posture for a long time; force children to participate in religious rites late at night (also listed as physical abuse, psychological abuse) Provoke and fuel anxiety through the languages, videos, and materials; ignoring; harassing; violating the free will of children (also listed on psychological abuse) Impair of social skills of children by limiting social connections that are considered typical (also listed on psychological abuse) Not to secure children while knowing the existence of the people who induce significantly inappropriate behaviors from general social terms. The exceeded spending money through religious activities results in failing to provide appropriate food, clothing, and housing or building a barrier to entering, attending, or enrolling in elementary and junior high school. Without any rational reasons but religious doctrines prohibit children’s entering or attending high school (also listed as psychological abuse) Prohibit seeing Doctors; prohibit getting medical treatments (such as blood transfusion) that doctors proposed. Not considering an appropriate nurturing environment or securing an educational opportunity and limiting children’s participation in various school events (also listed on psychological abuse) Materially fail to nurture children due to participation in faith-based or preaching activities (novice, seminar, pilgrimage) (also listed as neglect) Not to secure children while knowing they get violence inside the religious facilities. Disapprove abortion of female children who got pregnant by sexual assault or female children who might violate their physical and economic health Force children to speak out about their sexual experiences for a member of a religious organization (also listed on sexual abuse) |
3. Points to be considered for response to abuse and encouraging independence
- Children who experience abuse related to religion may be strongly affected by religious doctrine and find it hard to recognize and appeal to their situation, which has problems—assessing their environment objectively and explaining or instructing the definition of child abuse for children and guardians.
However, because the guidance might not be enough to change the behavior or thoughts of custodians based on religious doctrine against children, and there are concerns that the escalation of abusing by custodians or intervening for a family from religious organizations with the guidance as a trigger, securing the children’s safety is the priority so that taking temporary custody pursuant without hesitation will be necessary if needed. - Suppose those who the age over 18 years old come to talk about their problem, introducing the use of Youth Independent Assistance Homes (kind of group home) and discussing the next steps following their mind is required. If they do not seek to use Youth Independent Assistance Homes, proactive outreach is required despite their age (in japan, youths over 18 years are considered adults). List and organize their particular problems and build a connection with the Japan Legal Support Center, welfare offices, or other related institutions/organizations.
- In case of judging whether each issue is child abuse or not, the child guidance center must make a decision examining multiple sides such as children’s condition, guardians’ condition, and living environments; thus, it can be child abuse if there are only minor actions.
4. Available Public Supports (abb.)
Translation of Social Welfare Act
Translation of Child Welfare Act
Translation of Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act
The Guidelines for Spiritual-related Child Abuses, MHLW (Japanese)
Child and Family Policy Bureau, 宗教の信仰等に関係する児童虐待等への対応に関するQ&A § (2022).
The Full Scripts of The Guidelines for Spiritual-related Child Abuses (Japanese)
Child and Family Policy Bureau, 「宗教の信仰等に関係する児童虐待等への対応に関するQ&A」について § (2022).all wabpages are visited on Jan. 1st