五ノ井さんに「勇気ある女性賞」　実名告発「タブーに光」―米国務省

　【ワシントン時事】米国務省は１日、陸上自衛隊在職中に受けた性被害を実名告発した元自衛官の五ノ井里奈さんら各国の１２人に、２０２４年の「国際勇気ある女性賞」を授与すると発表した。授賞式は４日、ホワイトハウスでジル・バイデン大統領夫人出席の下で開かれる。
　日本人の受賞は１５年以来、２人目。国務省は五ノ井さんの行動を「伝統的な日本社会でタブー視されてきたテーマに光を当てた」と称賛。五ノ井さんの「勇気」により、多くの被害者らが励まされ、「自衛隊はより安全な職場づくりに取り組んでいる」と強調した。（2024/03/02-08:09）

Former Japanese Self-Defense Forces member Rina Gonoi, who went public about the sexual harassment and abuse she experienced during her service, has been named among the 12 winners of the 2024 International Women of Courage Awards given by the U.S. Department of State, the department said Friday.
   Secretary of State Antony Blinken and first lady Jill Biden will host the annual award ceremony at the White House on Monday.
   Gonoi "shined a light on an otherwise taboo subject in traditional Japanese society," the department said in a statement.
   "Her bravery to take on social norms emboldened countless survivors of abuse to come forward with their own stories so that they no longer suffered in silence," the statement noted. "Based on Ms. Gonoi's push for meaningful reform, the JSDF is building a more secure workplace so that Japanese of any gender can defend their country with dignity."
   The guilty ruling has become final for three former members of Japan's Ground SDF over their sexual assault against Gonoi. The accusation by Gonoi prompted the Japanese Defense Ministry to work on eradicating harassment including by conducting a special probe covering all SDF personnel.