論文詳細
敬心・研究ジャーナル第３巻 第２号
〈児童虐待〉は増えているのか
要旨
〈児童虐待〉の増加や深刻化が一般報道ではもちろん専門家の論説でもよく語られ、現代の社会通念となっている。〈虐待〉が深刻な問題なのは論を待たない。しかし、本当に実数的に増えているか、内容の深刻度が増しているかについては、別の検討が必要となる。本論文では、増加や深刻化が進んでいるとは安易に言えず、むしろ逆の可能性すらある事実を検証する。この事実にも拘わらず「増加」「深刻化」が社会的に疑われないのは、厚労省が毎年公表する「虐待相談対処件数」が増加の一途のためであろう。しかし、誤通告も多く含まれる「相談件数」だけでは増減は分からず、対処して実際に〈虐待〉と確認された「実数」こそが重要である。ところが厚労省は何故かその数字を明らかにしない。日本の「虐待対策」は「実数」という基礎データを踏まえないまま進められている。本論文では、そうなった理由についても若干の考察を試みる。
Is Child Abuse Increasing?
Abstract
The increase in and seriousness of child abuse is often mentioned not only in the public reports but also as the opinions of experts, and is conventional wisdom in Japan. Needless to say, child abuse is a very serious problem. However, whether it is really increasing in actual numbers and whether the severity of the content is increasing must be considered separately. In this paper, we find that it is not easy to say that the increase or seriousness is progressing, and consider the fact that there is even the opposite possibility. Despite this fact, there is no societal doubting of the “increase” and “seriousness,” because the “number of cases of abuse counseling and response” published every year by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare shows a substantial increase. But the “number of cases of counseling,” which includes many false reports, does not show whether there has been an increase or decrease. The “actual numbers” that have been dealt with and actually confirmed as “abuse” are important. However, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare does not reveal these numbers. Japanʼs “countermeasures for abuse” are proceeding without taking into account the basic data of “actual numbers.” In this paper, I will consider some of the reasons for this.
The increase in and seriousness of child abuse is often mentioned not only in the public reports but also as the opinions of experts, and is conventional wisdom in Japan. Needless to say, child abuse is a very serious problem. However, whether it is really increasing in actual numbers and whether the severity of the content is increasing must be considered separately. In this paper, we find that it is not easy to say that the increase or seriousness is progressing, and consider the fact that there is even the opposite possibility. Despite this fact, there is no societal doubting of the “increase” and “seriousness,” because the “number of cases of abuse counseling and response” published every year by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare shows a substantial increase. But the “number of cases of counseling,” which includes many false reports, does not show whether there has been an increase or decrease. The “actual numbers” that have been dealt with and actually confirmed as “abuse” are important. However, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare does not reveal these numbers. Japanʼs “countermeasures for abuse” are proceeding without taking into account the basic data of “actual numbers.” In this paper, I will consider some of the reasons for this.