I've been living in Japan for about 10 years now, not Japanese myself, but I got married to my husband and built a family here. so I've been here long enough to know the unfortunate reality of chikan on crowded trains. I've experienced it myself a handful of times over the years, and while it's always disgusting and violating, I've always managed to brush it off, move away, or just deal with it. But my problem now is my daughter. apparently she faces it on her way to school and the thought of her having to endure this just breaks my heart and fills me with rage.
We've already tried a lot of the common advice. She wears a large backpack to create a barrier. She tries to stand near the conductor's cabin or near other women. We've talked about yelling, but she's a shy kid, and the idea of causing a scene on a packed train is terrifying for her. We've even bought her one of those personal alarm keychains, but again, she's hesitant to use it, fearing escalation or unwanted attention.
The pink women-only cars are an option for part of her route, but unfortunately, they don't cover her entire journey or aren't available during her specific transfer times, so it's not a complete solution. We've looked into school buses or private transport, but financially, it's just not feasible for us at this time. Taking her myself every day would add hours to my commute and isn't a sustainable option.
I feel so helpless. I'm a mother, and my instinct is to protect my child, but I feel like my hands are tied. We're already implementing what we know, and it's still happening. This isn't just about a cultural difference anymore it's about my daughter's safety and well being.
What else can we do? Are there any lesser known protocols, devices, or strategies that we haven't considered? Any advice, no matter how small, would be genuinely appreciated.
by [deleted]