Guest Speaker

Adam R. Dodge, Legal & Technology Director at Laura's House, Orange County, California, USA

Commentators

• Yujin Yaguchi Professor of American Studies, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the University of Tokyo
• Eunice K. Kim Professor at Ewha Womans University Law School
• Yuma Suzuki Ph.D student at Graduate School of Sociology of Education, the University of Tokyo / NPO Chabujo
• Takashi Fuchigami Student, Soka University / NPO Chabujo
• Yuu Shundou Student, Waseda University / NPO Chabujo
• Momoko Yokoi Student, Sophia University / NPO Chabujo

Coordinator

【Part 1】
Kaori Hayashi Professor of Media and Journalism Studies at the Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies, the University of Tokyo

【Part 2】
Misha Cade Student, Sophia University / NPO Chabujo

Language

English (Questions from the audience may be in Japanese)

Sponsored by

Educational Project S, Integrated Human Sciences Program for Cultural Diversity (IHS), the University of Tokyo

Supported by

• MeDi (Initiative for Media’s Diversity at the University of Tokyo)
• Meridian180, Buffet Institute for Global Studies, Northwestern University
• Chabudai Gaeshi Jyoshi Action (“Chabujo”, a feminist organisation based in Tokyo)
• Tottoko Gender Movement (a student group at the University of Tokyo)

About the Event

In recent years, news media reported several cases of sexual violence by college students. In most of these cases, students from prestigious institutions were involved. Meanwhile, harassment cases by male professors against female students seem to have become regular headlines in diverse news outlets.

However, universities are slow to move to establish a comprehensive system that stops sexual violence, protects and supports victims, and punishes perpetrators. Moreover, a majority of professors, administrators, and students do not seem to care about these issues. Such indifference results in a situation in which there is little consensus regarding what constitutes sexual violence and harassment. Overall, the lack of interest in and understanding about this theme shrouds our campuses, and discourages members of college communities from discussing these issues seriously.

In order to break such silence on this issue, the Leading Graduate Program on Integrated Human Sciences for Cultural Diversity (IHS) at the University of Tokyo will invite Mr. Adam R. Dodge, Legal & Technology Director at Laura's House in Orange County, California, who specializes in domestic violence cases and has a long experience in sexual harassment education programs. He will share with us his expertise and experience.

Professor Yujin Yaguchi of Department of Area Studies (North American Division) of Graduate School of Arts and Sciences of the University of Tokyo will then give a comment based on his experiences in American and Japanese higher education institutions. We will also invite Professor Kim K. Eunice at Ewha Woman’s University as a commentator.

The event will be conducted in English, but the choice of language will be flexible during the Q&A session to encourage all the participants to speak up. Everybody who is interested in this theme, and who thinks that the theme is important, is very welcome. Let’s learn together about the U.S. system and talk with Mr. Dodge what we can do against sexual violence in Japan!

About the Speaker

Mr. Dodge’s work is characterized by his dedication to assisting domestic violence survivors obtain restraining order protection and addressing the existing and future threats posed by technology. He has written and presented extensively on the impact of non-consensual pornography and recently co-authored a domestic violence advisory on artificial intelligence and the emerging threat of ‘deepfakes.’ As the legal director of Laura’s House, he oversees a department that processes over 1,150 restraining order cases annually. He recently co-authored The Empowered Woman’s Guide to Divorce and has been featured or contributed to articles in the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, SELF Magazine, the Los Angeles Times, Mashable, Gizmodo and others. He also writes for the Huffington Post. Adam’s television and radio appearances include Dr. Phil and he is a frequent speaker and guest lecturer at law schools, universities, and both national and international conferences. He earned his B.A. from UC Santa Barbara and his J.D. by way of McGeorge School of Law and Hastings College of the Law.

Our Goals for the Event

1. To learn the current systems and institutions that prevent sexual violence in the U.S.
2. To learn how activism influenced people’s awareness and changed the system to prevent sexual violence on campus.
3. To evaluate the current situation of sexual violence at universities in Japan.

Time Table

【Part 1: Learning Session】

【Part 2: Discussion Session】

Notes

• Free entrance. Pre-registration not required.
• We appreciate your understanding that photos, video or audio records may be taken during “Part 1: Learning Session” and may be used for future IHS Program activities
• Contact & Inquiries: Educational Project S, IHS Program (project-s[at]ihs.c.u-tokyo.ac.jp)