Public Discussion

The global spread of COVID-19 and subsequent movement restrictions across the globe have exacerbated conditions that often lead to domestic violence (DV), intimate partner violence (IPV), and child abuse, causing concern in many parts of the world. To fully tackle DV, IPV, and child abuse, measures for the punishment and rehabilitation of perpetrators must be considered alongside support programs for victims in order to bring about long-term results. While differences exist in legal authority, jurisdiction, and the specific procedures across different institutions, many countries have established measures targeting perpetrators of DV, IPV, and child abuse that include rehabilitation programs at jails for high-risk offenders as well as court-mandated intervention programs. These long-term rehabilitation efforts are made in close coordination and alignment across the various institutions involved, including law enforcement, the court system, child protection agencies, local governments, local communities, and non-profit organizations.  Countries and regions in Asia such as South Korea, Taiwan already have a system requiring perpetrators to take part in rehabilitation programs for a specified period of time. However, Japan has not yet institutionalized a similar system and programs for perpetrators are provided only by non-profit organizations without financial support from the government. At these organizations staffs have a wealth of experience and expertise, but given their unstable financial situation, there is an urgent need to design a new framework to provide rehabilitation for offenders.

This online event is organized as a pre-event for the 14th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (Kyoto Congress), and invites government officials, experts, and practitioners from across East Asia to share their experiences and will discuss challenges they face in their work, especially in relation to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as well as desired institutional design and governmental policy to support long-term rehabilitation efforts. 

We look forward to your participation.