Sexual Crimes Victims Support

TOKYO, Japan (UPI) -- Japan`s National Police Agency will provide financial support to victims of sexual crimes to cover all required medical treatment and expenses.

Morning-after contraceptive pills, abortions and counseling for post-traumatic stress disorder are among the items that will be covered, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported Friday.

Until now, local police have allocated money drawn from local government budgets, but these benefits have been provided only to victims who have suffered severe injury and have been placed under medical treatment for at least one month and hospitalized for at least two weeks.

The costs of tests for sexually transmitted diseases, morning-after contraceptive drugs and abortions, which in many cases are expensive, have fallen on the shoulders of victims and their families.

The new policy will target not only rape victims but also victims of indecent assaults -- who will receive benefits for all needed treatment.

The number of sex crimes in Japan has risen sharply since 2000. The number stood at 11,360 last year, about twice the figure for the early 1990s. There were 2,176 rapes reported last year."

United Press International, September 2, 2005