Photo/Illutration The welfare ministry building in Tokyo (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Child-abusing parents should receive no special or lenient treatment because of their religion, and child consultation centers and local governments should promptly report such cases to police, according to welfare ministry guidelines.

The ministry is expected to finalize the guidelines soon and send them to centers and municipal governments across Japan.

The draft guidelines specify four acts prohibited under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Law.

They then explain what kind of child abuse by religious parents falls into which category.

For example, slapping children with a hand or a whip because of their behavior during religious activities is physical abuse, the draft guidelines say.

Parents will commit mental abuse by forcing children to engage in religious activities through threats including saying they will “go to hell” if they don’t.

Another example of mental abuse is when parents restrict their children’s freedom to make life choices, such as marriage, study or work, based on religious grounds.

The draft guidelines also say that if parents don’t allow their children to receive medical treatment, such as blood transfusions, on religious grounds, the case should be considered “neglect.”

The draft guidelines said child consultation centers or local governments should cooperate with the police, including through information sharing, to respond to child abuse cases by religious parents. Such offenders could be charged with assault or causing bodily harm.

The draft guidelines say that child consultation centers or municipal governments should prioritize the safety of children most.

They should consider applying for a court order to take abused children into temporary protective care or to strip the abusers of their parental rights in such religious cases, the draft guidelines said.

In addition, the draft guidelines say the centers and municipal governments should provide help to young people aged 18 or older when they seek protection from abuse by their religious parents.

The support can include giving information on “youth independence assistance homes,” which are private-run places that provide shelter for people aged 15 to 20 and help them become economically independent, according to the draft guidelines.

Children of followers of the Unification Church or other religious organizations have informed ruling and opposition lawmakers about their experience of abuse at the hands of their parents.

They highlighted how public authorities have said that their problems are “religious” issues and have been hesitant to provide help.

Welfare minister Katsunobu Kato said in November that the ministry will prepare a document on how public authorities should respond to cases of children abused by their religious parents to encourage appropriate support.

Related News