A third of Tokyo women suffer domestic violence: report

One-third of women polled in Tokyo have been physically abused by their partners at least once, and about a quarter of such women are abused repeatedly, according to a report released Thursday by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

The report, based on what the government described as the nation's first large-scale survey on violence against women, includes some serious cases of domestic violence.

About 1 percent of the women polled said they have been repeatedly beaten so badly that they could not stand up, while others reported that they had been threatened with knives by their partners.

"The situation must be taken seriously, considering that many women are victims of such cruel violence," said Yuko Omura of the government's citizens and cultural affairs bureau.

The metropolitan government polled 4,500 men and women in Tokyo last July and August, with about 1,500 women and 1,200 men responding. All were asked for their opinions on violence against women, and women were asked if they had been victims of violence.

According to the report, more than half of the women said they felt that their partners abused them mentally by ignoring them or patronizing them. One-fifth confessed that they have been sexually offended or abused, with partners not cooperating in contraception or threatening to force them to have sex against their will.

The survey also showed that women of various backgrounds, regardless of their age, educational level or income, have been subject to physical abuse by their partners, whose backgrounds are also diverse.