ＪＲ暴行

2008/7/7 --The Asahi Shimbun, July 5(IHT/Asahi: July 7,2008)

EDITORIAL: Protect women on trains

ＪＲでの暴行―働く女性の安全を守れ

Yet more horrible, heinous crimes have taken place. It came to light that two women were attacked aboard running trains in separate cases that occurred in March and April.

走っている電車の中で女性が襲われる。そんな卑劣で恐ろしい事件が、また起こってしまった。

The victims were crew members working on local train lines operated by East Japan Railway Co. (JR East).

今回、被害に遭ったのは、ＪＲ東日本の在来線の車内で働いていた２人の女性乗務員である。 

Many tasks are performed aboard trains in addition to driving them--checking tickets, ensuring passenger safety, selling food and beverages and other chores. The train crews include women. These appalling incidents occurred under these circumstances.

電車内では運転に加え、乗客の切符を確認したり、安全確保や車内販売にあたったり、とさまざまな業務がある。働いているのは男性に限らない。そうした仕事の場で起きた事件だ。 

(Chore=雑用) (appalling=恐ろしい、ぞっとするような)

The two female crew members, attacked while on duty, were dragged into a toilet near a first-class "green car." They were allegedly throttled, threatened, and one of the victims raped.

今年春、勤務中だった女性乗務員は、いずれもグリーン車近くのトイレに引きずり込まれた。首を絞められて脅されたあげくに、１人は強姦（ごうかん）されたという。 

Both assaults occurred in the very early morning. The perpetrator chose a time with few passengers around so that he could commit the crime without being detected. Surely, all women using trains must have had the chills upon hearing of the incidents.

２回とも事件は早朝に起きた。乗客が少なく、周囲の目がほとんどない時間帯を狙っての犯行だ。電車を利用する女性ならだれでも、背筋が寒くなったに違いない。 

（perpetrator=加害者、犯人、下手人）

If a person can be attacked aboard public transport, how can we feel safe getting on a train, not to mention working on one?

公共交通機関の中で襲われるようでは、安心して電車に乗ることも、そこで働くこともできなくなる。 

These latest crimes remind us of a similar rape case two years ago on West Japan Railway Co.'s express "Thunderbird" train. Then the victim was a female passenger.

思い出すのは２年前、ＪＲ西日本の特急「サンダーバード」内で起きた強姦事件である。このとき襲われたのは乗っていた女性客だった。 

It was a shocking case. It is highly regrettable that the lessons from the incident were not effectively put to use.

社会に大きな衝撃を与えた事件だったのに、その教訓が生かされなかったのは残念の極みだ。 

Of course, the culprit bears the most blame. But at the same time, we must continue to do everything possible in our own workplaces to eliminate the risks of falling victim to an attack.

なにより、犯人こそが非難されるべきだ。だが同時に、狙われる危険をできるだけなくしていく工夫を、それぞれの場所で重ねることが欠かせない。 

(culprit=刑事被告人、容疑者)

The perpetrator of the two assaults on the JR East trains is believed to be the same man. He was arrested and charged with rape and attempted rape that resulted in serious injuries. Yet, similar attacks may recur in the future. Safety measures to prevent any recurrences have to be taken without delay.

今回、２人を襲ったのは同じ男とみられ、強姦などの罪で逮捕・起訴された。しかし、似たような犯行は繰り返されるかもしれない。再発を防ぐ安全策は待ったなしだ。 

（perpetrator=加害者、犯人、下手人） (recur=再発する、繰り返される) (recurrence=再発、繰り返し)

JR East has begun installing security cameras on their local green cars. The company has also started to have their crews work in pairs in the early hours of the morning and on late night shifts. It is also increasing the number of security guards patrolling the train cars.

すでに、ＪＲ東日本は在来線のグリーン車に防犯カメラを導入し始めた。早朝や夜間の乗務員を２人態勢にしたり、電車内を見回る警備員を増やしたりする対応も進めているという。 

As a company, it is naturally responsible for ensuring the safety of its workplace. Such safety steps will also lead to increased safety of not only their female crew, but also of their male colleagues and passengers.

We hope JR East will push ahead with these safety precautions.

企業として、職場の安全を守るのは当然の責任だ。こうした対策は女性乗務員だけでなく、男性の同僚や、乗っている客の安全にもつながる。ぜひ力を入れて進めてもらいたい。 

(push ahead with=前に進める) (precaution=予防措置、事前対策)

Surely, trains are not the only place where workers are vulnerable to possible attacks.

狙われる可能性がある職場は、電車の中だけではあるまい。 

(vulnerable=傷つきやすい、攻撃を受けやすい)

In the past two decades or so, women have been assigned to work in more and more places. But some women feel uneasy while working because they are forced to work alone at night. Others are frightened because security equipment at their workplaces is inadequate.

女性が働く場はこの２０年ほどで広がったが、なかには夜間に１人で対応したり、職場の防犯設備が不十分だったりして、不安を抱える働き手もいる。 

There are also occupations where workers may be constantly worried about crime, such as taxi drivers who are in close proximity with passengers in small, closed spaces. These operators have to take elaborate safety measures to ensure safety, regardless of the sex of drivers.

閉ざされた空間で客と向き合うタクシー運転手のように、男女を問わず防犯に神経を使う職種もあるだろう。 

(proximity=近接、接近)

Companies should take the most stringent safety measures possible, in correlation with the nature of the jobs and the way people work.

だからこそ、仕事の内容や働き方に応じて、企業や職場はできる限りの安全対策をとるべきだ。 

(correlation=相互関係、相関関係)

It is for the benefit of all workers to secure a working environment where they can work without being worried about their safety. We must not shut out women from work for fear of crimes like these.

不安なく働けるようにすることは、働く人すべてのためになる。事件を恐れて、女性の職場を閉ざすようなことがあってはならない。

--The Asahi Shimbun, July 5(IHT/Asahi: July 7,2008)

朝日新聞 ７月０５日号 （英語版 ２００８年７月０７日発行）