In order to make ISDAK a place where diversity is respected and everyone can feel safer and comfortable (safer space), we have a specialized staff team called ISDAK Diversity and Safer Space Promotion Team. So far, we have organized dormitory events and workshops for residents and RAs/CAs to learn about diversity and harassment. If you experience harassment, the DS team and/or RAs/CAs can connect you to consultation services available on and off campus. Feel free to reach us. We are on your side.
To make ISDAK a safer space for everyone...
Know that any forms of hate speech, discrimination and harassment do not have home here.
Know that we sometimes offend and harass someone even without realizing (micro-aggression)
We make mistakes. If you hurt someone, try to acknowledge that and apologize first to step further, before trying to defend yourself.
Harassment/Violence Examples
Racial Harassment and Racism: e.g. Stereotypes based on ethnicity; Pressuring to disclose one’s identity; Using discriminatory terms, such as N-word
Gender Harassment and Sexism: e.g. Gender Stereotypes and norms, such as “Women/men should be...”
SOGI (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) Harassment and Discrimination against LGBTQ+ Individuals: e.g. Heterosexism (for example, presuming that someone has “girlfriend(s)/boyfriend(s)”); Misgendering (calling someone with a wrong gender pronoun); Outing (revealing someone’s SOGI and/or secret without permission); Using discriminatory terms, such as “Fag”
Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence: e.g. Sexual act without consent; Unwanted sexual comment; Forcing someone to talk about their sexual experiences
Religious Discrimination: e.g. Stereotypes based on religion and faith
Alcohol Harassment: e.g. Forcing someone to drink by doing a drinking game
Sexual and Gender/power-based Violence Prevention:
Ref: Chabudai Gaeshi Jyoshi Action “Sexual Consent Handbook”
Any kinds of non-consensual sexual consent is sexual violence. Consent should be given freely, actively and continuously.
Freely: Being able to say “No”
Actively: Saying “Yes” because someone wanted to, but not because they had to (in the presence of power imbalance)
Continuously: Agreeing to one activity does not mean agreeing to other activities
Examples:
Someone coming to your room does not mean “Yes”!
Intoxicated (heavily drunk) person cannot actively consent!
It is okay to change your mind! If they do not want to do anything, just do not.
Sexual violence can happen to anyone regardless of their social identities, including but not limited to gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity and age or whether it is in intimate partner relationship(s) (cf. Intimate Partner Violence)
Bystander Action: 3Ds [Direct Distract Delegate]
Direct: e.g. Stopping the potential perpetrator who’s violating someone’s boundary
Distract: e.g. Spilling drink to distract the potential perpetrator
Delegate: e.g. Asking friends’ or RA/CA’s help
Examples of Laws and Ordinances Surrounding ISDAK
Hitotsubashi University Harassment Prevention Guideline
Kunitachi City’s Ordinance on Diversity and Equalities of Gender and Sexuality Kunitachi City’s Ordinance on Diversity, Human Rights and Peace
Tokyo Metropolitan Ordinance on Human Rights
Hate Speech Act
Act to Advance the Elimination of Discrimination Based on Disability
☆ Anyone can be a perpetrator or a victim regarding the issue of diversity and safer space. We request all residents to keep on thinking about this issue with a sense of involvement.