Pink Curtains: 'Making-up' Vulnerable Woman

Danger does not come for all of us equally. Japan’s safe reputation notwithstanding, certain populations are nevertheless perceived as vulnerable to criminal predations. Chief among them are a category of women who choose to live alone in the country’s urban centers, so called hitori gurashi josei [women who live alone]. Disconnected from the safety of familial ties, in the media these women are depicted as potential victims to stalking, peeping and other sexual crimes. However, while the media paints women as endangered due to ‘essential’ gender traits, the security industry, recognizing an enormous potential market, has offered an alternative narrative focused instead on their environmental context. With the proper security, they might not be vulnerable at all.