A scene of street life seen in a park in Tokyo. Will the new law be able to provide adequate support for women forced to live this way?Until now, impoverished women have been branded as “dropouts” and subjected to protection and rehabilitation on the grounds that it is their own responsibility to have fallen into hardship and difficulties in their lives. However, for the first time in the current Diet session, a new law, the “Law on Support for Women with Difficulties” (hereinafter referred to as the “New Law” ), was passed with the aim of restoring the human rights of women and promoting their welfare.  Until now, local governments have provided women’s protection services based on the Anti-Prostitution Law enacted in 1956. But this law was under pressure to be revised as it did not meet the diverse needs of young women in particular. House of Councilors member Mizuho Fukushima, who participated in various consultation meetings at the Corona Disaster and at the same time conducted hearings with support groups, welcomes the passage of the new law. “The removal of the discriminatory viewpoint that women themselves are the problem, and the treatment of women who have been victims of sexual exploitation and sexual violence as perpetrators, is groundbreaking.” ◆Differences between the Anti-Prostitution Law and the new law The purpose of the Anti-Prostitution Law is to prevent prostitution by guiding and punishing girls who are likely to engage in prostitution and by protecting and rehabilitating them. It also provides for imprisonment or a fine for soliciting prostitution (Article 5) or for guiding and confining them (Article 1 (Article 7). The new law is highly anticipated because it abolishes the provisions of the Trafficking Prevention Law (Articles 17, 18, and 22), which were intended to subject women to remedial punishment and incarceration, and for the first time explicitly guarantees women’s rights. Article 2 defines “women with difficulties” as “women (including women who are at risk of becoming so) who have difficulties in smoothly leading their daily or social lives due to sexual victimization, family situation, relationship with the community, or various other circumstances. Article 3 also clearly states the restoration of physical and mental health and seamless support, as well as the realization of gender equality, as its basic principles. Women’s support groups, researchers, and other concerned parties have widely welcomed the passage of the new law as a major step forward. On the other hand, the Corona Disaster once again highlighted the fact that there are cultural, social, economic, and institutional factors behind women’s difficulties that cannot be resolved by law alone. It is not easy for women to realize that they are having difficulties, especially when they are expected to take care of others, and when they themselves unknowingly put the needs of their parents, children, and husbands first. It is sometimes difficult for women who are expected to be “discreet” to discuss their problems and concerns. ◆Resolving Violence For example, Sachiko (in her 30s, pseudonym), who was abused by her parents and was forced to live a life of constant character denial and abuse, reveals, “Since I was a child, I have not been kind to a single millimeter of my body.” “I have never been treated kindly, not even a millimeter, since I was a little girl. But when I see or hear about child abuse in news reports, I feel it is disrespectful to compare myself with people who have suffered worse than I have. In my mind, I think I have been hurt badly enough to have my life destroyed, but not violated to the point of being life-threatening, with just a few bumps and bruises.” The thought that there are others who are in a more difficult situation than she is stops her from discussing her problems and concerns with them. This is accompanied by the sense of self-blame that survivors of sexual violence and abuse always feel. Sachiko continues,  “Looking back now, I regret why I did not leave home sooner. If I had been able to escape from home, I would have led a different life. I was too weak.” Childhood abuse and violence, including sexual violence, is estimated to affect one in three women worldwide, and one in four women in Japan, if limited to domestic violence, will be a victim more than once. In Japan, it is estimated that one in four women will be a victim of domestic violence more than once. In addition to the physical damage caused, the mental and psychological trauma causes many problems. Women who have survived repeated violence often lose self-esteem and self-confidence. Because they “lack interpersonal skills” and “have difficulty building relationships,” women tend to isolate themselves, often unable to hold down a job or sustain a living. In the background, violence casts a shadow. The Women’s Assistance Law stipulates that medical and psychological assistance be provided to restore physical and mental health, but what is also important is a culture and education that eliminates violence and does not create perpetrators.