A 28-year-old woman who was a victim of domestic violence “until she was rescued by a support facility”.

The number of domestic violence cases in Japan continues to increase.

There are endless cases of victims and their children losing their homes due to spousal violence. Following on from Part 1: “Beaten to a pulp with a pot”… Escaping from a DV husband, we would like to look at the situations faced by such parents and their children, and the efforts being made at the frontlines of support.

0Himeka Mita ( 28 (28 years old, pseudonym)

Himeka Mita grew up as the only daughter in a father-son household in Nagano Prefecture. Her mother divorced early in life. Her father worked three shifts at a factory and was a constant drinker, so Himeka rarely spent time with her family.

After graduating from public high school, Himeka worked part-time at a local Japanese restaurant. Her hobby was chasing idols, and she spent almost all the money she earned from her part-time job on it.

Marriage was When she was 22 She was 22 years old when she got married. While working part-time at a Japanese-style restaurant and a weekend snack bar, she met a customer who made a pass at her, and when she became pregnant, they decided to get married.

Wife suffered from depression, but husband cheated on her.

Her husband was living at home and decided to take the pregnant Himeka to work at a factory in Saitama Prefecture. Although it was a part-time job, he was provided with a dormitory, so he thought he could be independent.

The following year, Himeka gave birth to their first child. Soon after, she was pregnant with her second child and gave birth to a yearling.

She got married, moved, and gave birth twice. These fast-paced changes in her life environment seemed to have taken a heavy toll on Himeka. A year and a half after giving birth to her second child, she developed depression.

At the same time, her husband began an affair with a woman he met on a matching app. He became infatuated with the woman and stayed out most of the week. When he did come home occasionally, he treated Himeka and the children badly.

Himeka recounts.

He wanted to remarry his mistress. She was a nurse, and her parents were apparently quite wealthy, so I think he wanted her for her money. So when I became depressed, he started saying, ‘Let’s break up,’ and ‘Take the kids and go back to Nagano.

But I was too sick to work, and I didn’t get along with my father in Nagano. So when I told him that I couldn’t do that right now, he gradually became grumpy and started to get violent with me and my children.”