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Paper short abstract

This paper explores the literary representation of "secondary victimization" in Inoue Areno’s Namakawa: A Scene of Sexual Harassment (2022). By referencing Kate Elizabeth Russell’s My Dark Vanessa (2020), it analyzes the structural violence survivors encounter "after speaking out."

Paper long abstract

This research investigates the literary representations of secondary victimization—the social and psychological distress experienced by survivors after speaking out—within the context of Japan's post-#MeToo era. While the global movement has heightened awareness of sexual violence, the "aftermath" for those who challenge institutional power remains fraught with systemic hostility and skepticism. By analyzing Inoue Areno’s Namakawa: Aru sekusharu harasumento no kokei (Raw Skin: A Scene of Sexual Harassment) (2022) and positioning it alongside Kate Elizabeth Russell’s My Dark Vanessa (2020) for comparative context, this study clarifies how contemporary fiction portrays the traumatic consequences of allegation.

The analysis primarily focuses on the power asymmetry inherent in the mentor-mentee relationship in the literary world. In Namakawa, the established male author weaponizes his "literary status" and pedagogical authority to groom and silence an aspiring writer. This research explores how these entrenched patriarchal structures facilitate initial abuse and, more importantly, justify the subsequent marginalization of the victim through character assassination and victim-blaming. By comparing this with Russell’s depiction of academic authority, the study highlights the universal nature of institutional grooming and the structural barriers to justice.

Second, the study examines the temporal lag in speaking out. In Namakawa, the protagonist breaks her silence years after the event, a period necessary to deconstruct internalized manipulation and reclaim her narrative from the perpetrator’s logic. This paper argues that this time lag often triggers "secondary victimization" (the second rape), where public skepticism questions the validity of "delayed" allegations. The study analyzes how the narrative uses sophisticated internal monologues to represent the survivor's struggle.

Finally, drawing on Gayatri Spivak’s theory of "literary imagination," this paper argues that Inoue’s narrative creates an ethical space that forces readers to confront their own complicity in a culture of silence. Ultimately, this study aims to redefine the role of literature in witnessing the ongoing struggles against structural violence, contributing to the international presence of Japanese literary studies by engaging with global ethical issues of gender-based violence.