TOKYO (TR) – Law enforcement agencies nationwide received complaints from 22 persons who were forced to appear in adult video (AV) productions, the National Police Agency said at a government gender equality meeting on Tuesday.
Authorities at the Gender Equality Bureau Cabinet Office meeting said there were 12 complaints from victims in their 20s, four in their teens, and three in their 30s. Of the 22 total complaints, 21 were made by women, the Asahi Shimbun reports (Nov. 15).
The compiled figures from the NPA, which cover the period between January of 2014 and this past June, represent the first time that the agency has examined forced AV appearances.
Some victims were forced into appearing in films under the false pretense of being scouted as a model while others were threatened with costly penalties if they refused to participate, officials said.
“They say there are people who are keeping this buried because they can’t come to us about it,” a police official said. “We urge persons to consult with the nearest police station at any time.”
In June, three executives at AV-related companies were arrested for forcing a woman to perform as an actress in an outdoor shoot in Kanagawa Prefecture against her will.