Lecture on domestic violence canceled over protests it could break up families

TSUKUBAMIRAI, Ibaraki -- The municipal government here has cancelled a lecture on domestic violence scheduled for next Sunday in response to protests from opponents, city sources said.

Opponents criticized the Law for the Prevention of Spousal Violence and the Protection of Victims, which allows the government to provide shelters for domestic violence victims, on the grounds that it would lead to the breakdown of families.

Kazuko Hirakawa, head of Tokyo Feminist Therapy Center who was to be invited to the lecture, expressed regret over the move. "It's regrettable because I wanted to show attendees the reality of domestic violence."

The Tsukubamirai Municipal Government planned to hold the meeting on Sunday. It intended to invite Hirakawa, who also serves on a government advisory panel, as a guest speaker. It began public relations on the meeting in late December last year.

However, the government had since received about 100 e-mails urging the city not to hold the event. "Don't use taxpayers' money to hold such a biased meeting," one of the e-mails said.

On Wednesday morning, protesters who gathered in front of the municipal government headquarters chanted a slogan against the lecture through loudspeakers.

The municipal government then decided to cancel the event on the grounds that if it went ahead, it would lead to confusion and cause trouble to attendees.

ＤＶ防止法：反対団体の抗議で講演会中止　つくばみらい市

　配偶者や恋人などによる暴力「ドメスティックバイオレンス（ＤＶ）」をテーマにした講演会を２０日に予定していた茨城県つくばみらい市が、被害者保護などを定めたＤＶ防止法に批判的な市民団体などの抗議を受け、開催を断念していたことが分かった。

　講演会は市内の公民館を会場に、内閣府の専門調査会委員でＤＶ被害者支援に取り組む平川和子・東京フェミニストセラピィセンター所長を講師に招いて開く予定だった。

　市によると、０７年１２月下旬にＰＲを始めたところ１月に入り「偏向した講演会を市費で行わないで下さい」などと記した要請書やメールが届くようになり、約１００通に達した。１６日朝には、市役所前で数人が拡声器を使って抗議する騒ぎが起き、市は「開催しても混乱を招き、参加者に迷惑をかける」と判断して、中止を決めた。

　開催に反対した市民側は「被害者のシェルターへの保護は家族を破壊する」などとＤＶ防止法を批判しているが、平川さんは「ＤＶの実態を伝えたかったので残念だ」と語った。