"I didn't even have the luxury of thinking about escaping." The victim was so unaware she was experiencing domestic violence. The reality described by the woman was horrific.

Ms. A:
"It was hell. I didn't feel alive, and I'm amazed I lasted that long."

Ms. A describes the "hell" she experienced as domestic violence from her ex-husband.

The defendant, Ryo Maki (33), is charged with assaulting Ms. A, his wife at the time, and fracturing her ribs. Ms. A says that when they met at work and began dating, Maki was kind. However, he gradually began to hit her and demand money and valuables.

Ms. A:
"It wasn't just one punch a day. He would hit and kick me as much as he wanted until he was satisfied. He even grabbed my hair and swung me around."

In addition to the violence, verbal abuse such as "Die" and "Being with you costs money" was commonplace. Furthermore, she was ordered to write things down because she was very forgetful, and was forced to post papers in her room with phrases like "Always keep the phone connected" and "Prioritize keeping him happy."

Ms. A:
"I'm no good. My way of thinking is wrong. I really started to think that I had to conform to him."

Ms. A, unable to endure the intense violence, ran away once. However, after receiving kind words from the defendant, Maki, over the phone, she went to see him again and, following his instructions, submitted the marriage registration.

Ms. A:
"He was kind, and I thought he must have changed. Looking back now, I have so many regrets—if only I had broken away then, if only I had ignored his calls. After we got married, the violence got worse and worse, so honestly, I didn't have the luxury of thinking about escaping or asking for help."

Ms. A was so cornered that she couldn't even think about "escaping." The turning point that allowed her to escape the domestic violence came in September of the year before last. The domestic violence (DV) was discovered when the hospital, after Ms. A was hospitalized with an acute subdural hematoma, reported the incident to the police. Following this, the defendant, Maki, was arrested.

Ms. A says that it was only after speaking with the police that she realized for the first time that she had been a victim of domestic violence.

Maki has been indicted on seven counts of crimes against three women, including assault and non-consensual sexual intercourse. He denies all of the charges.

In the trial so far, the prosecution has stated that Maki's actions against Ms. A "continuously and repeatedly assaulted her, placing her under psychological control and trampling on her dignity," and has sought a 14-year prison sentence for Maki. The defense, on the other hand, argues for acquittal, claiming that "the victim's memory is vague and unreliable." The verdict will be handed down on October 8th.

Ms. A is still undergoing rehabilitation for the after-effects of the DV and is unable to live a normal life.

Ms. A:
"I will never forgive him, and I know this is impossible, but I want to tell him never to show his face again. If he thinks he can live a normal life again, I'm so resentful that I want to make sure that never happens. I won't do it, though, because I'm not him."

Domestic violence is often invisible from the outside. What would you like to tell people suffering from domestic violence like yourself...?

Ms. A:
"I really want people to ask for help from those around them, even if it's just for a moment. If you have even a little time to yourself, please report it then."

■Police Consultation Dial #9110

A graph of "Number of Consultations and Reports Regarding Domestic Violence" received by the Aichi Prefectural Police. Looking at the last 10 years, there has been an increasing trend.

According to Mr. Narumi Sasaki, formerly of the Saitama Prefectural Police Investigation Division 1, "The background to this increasing trend is that awareness of domestic violence has spread in society, and there have been more reports from those around them. Also, the police are creating a database of consultations regarding domestic violence as a personal safety-related case and sharing it, and are making it a case to prevent major incidents." One important thing that those around the victim can do is to notice even small signs of something being off. If you notice anything unusual, such as loud noises being heard daily or the victim appearing to be hiding injuries, please contact the police consultation hotline #9110.

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