Revelations

This conversation that sparked due to the movie, however, revealed a very lengthy and detailed history of serial killer fandoms existing long before movies were made about them. Even before being portrayed by Zac Efron; Ted Bundy, who has a reputation for killing young women by lulling them into a sense of security by his slightly above average good looks and charm had already become somewhat of a heartthrob in a whole different world. In the serial killer fandoms, famous murders like Ted Bundy, Richard Ramirez and the Columbine shooters Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold are the equivalent of the likes of Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise and even Zac Efron. Records show that killers like Richard Ramirez and Ted Bundy used to have courtrooms full of fangirls & girlfriends cheering them on during their trials and sending them love letter in prison. Bundy, who represented himself, would hear cheers every time he stepped up to speak. There would be long lines to meet them in prison, so much so that some of them would have to be turned away.

Richard Ramirez court appearance in California Supreme Court, Los Angeles

One such killer, known to have murdered at least 14 people, and till date the most popular of all, Richard Ramirez, also known as the night stalker, had thousand of fans. His execution was delayed continuously due to hundred of appeals being filed for its stay. He eventually married one of his fans and was married for 12 years before he died. Ramirez was hyped for his good looks and tragic backstory where women tried to find excuses for his actions and painted him as someone who was forced by society and his environment to do what he did.

Hybristophilia

This phenomenon of being sexually attracted to serial killers and mass murderers is called hybristophilia by experts. It is not only limited to a fascination or daydreaming obsession with these dangerous men but is a very real sexual attraction that the person may act upon by contacting the said killer. Not much research has been done upon this phenomenon but it is more commonly observable in women and is usually directed towards white male murderers. This obsession may be due to the thrill of being with someone dangerous or due to a saviour complex where the person may be led to believe that they can help fix what they think is a damaged person. People, in particular women, start empathising with the killer due to their past and imagining that they are just misunderstood and need someone to love and care for them.

Teen Girls Obsessed with Serial Killers

An article by Joshua Surtees written for vice talks about the virtual fandoms that have become popular for murderers and serial killers, some of whom aren’t even alive. These include trending hashtags and imaginary scenarios. While in the past affection to them was shown by letters and prison visits, the age of social media has allowed fandoms to form and like-minded people to come together. Fandoms in forms of social media pages attract thousands of followers most of which are teenage girls and surprisingly a lot of these women identified themselves as feminists even though the victims of most of these killers were women. They seem to think it is easy to separate these two since they can’t control their sexual attraction to these people. In interviews taken of these girls, it was discovered that they find it thrilling to be with someone who is capable of killing. Their obsession is taken very lightly by their families and peers and isn’t usually seen as something to be worried about.

Underlying Issues

This obsession isn’t always harmless. On one hand, it is worrying how only white cis male killers receive large amounts of support. It points to people’s tendency to try to humanize white males and not just label them as killers and murders. They are excused for their actions much like they always have been throughout history. They are seen as troubled men instead of heartless demons. Their victims are forgotten and dehumanised, seen only as stories, while they themselves are glorified and given the attention and popularity that they were looking for in the first place.

On the other hand, a lot of times, this obsession is not about sexual attraction and is instead of idealisation. Gullible trouble teens easily fall prey to a fascination with the crimes committed by these criminals and are inspired to try it themselves. Such was a case of a 14-year-old girl obsessed with Ted Bundy who tried to murder her girlfriend and even created a list of people she wanted to kill. And the fact that it is seen as normal and accepted by families poses a question of worry, could the next Ted Bundy be a fangirl who got too carried away?

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SUICIDE PREVALENCE IN JAPAN 

Sign board at the entrance of Aokigahara Forest (Suicide Forest) that beg suicidal visitors to think about their loved ones and to seek help if they’re considering taking their life in the forest

For years, the Japanese had failed to identify depression and problems of the mind as legitimate problems and ignored them persistently. It is only in recent times, perhaps owing to a wider worldview provided by the 21st-century global world, that these problems which are as common in Japan as any other part of the world have come to light.

Japan ranks among the top countries in terms of a number of deaths by suicide. In 2019, the death of approximately 20.1 thousand people was recorded by suicide, and although the figure has significantly reduced from the previous years, it’s still quite high. In fact, suicides have been such an accepted fact in Japanese history that a forest called the Aokigahara Forest is deemed as a ‘suicide forest’ where people go to kill themselves, mostly by hanging themselves to the trees of the forest.

The large scale of suicides that Japan witnesses every year, can perhaps be attributed to some distinct factors, although there is bound to be exceptions, given the very personal nature of such tragedies.

❖ Cultural and Historical practices: For the longest time, Japanese culture has identified suicide as not a sin (unlike Christianity) but rather as a way of taking responsibility for one’s actions. Far from being deemed as tragic or feeling the need to reduce its rates, the Japanese often interpreted suicide as honourable. This notion was perhaps the by-product of the ‘seppuku’ practices followed in the Samurai tradition, according to which the Samurai’s ritual suicides were honourable. In recent times, these ideas that romanticize suicide has been discarded to an extent, and a greater emphasis on mental health has acquired more importance. 

❖ Financial Reasons: Statistics suggest that young men between the age of 22-40 are most commonly the victims of suicide and this is attributed to the financial problems brought about by unemployment and employment on the basis of short term contracts.

❖ Isolating technology: Japan’s culture of not complaining further increases the troubles for individuals. Not being able to express one’s feelings adequately, and further, the introduction of newer technologies, isolate people to an extent that they might become helpless.

❖ Karoshi which means ‘death from overwork’ is one of the most prominent causes of suicide in Japan. The term was invented in the 1970s as a result of a number of deaths that had been brought about by work-related stresses and pressures. However, it still remains quite persistent in contemporary times. Numerous studies on work culture have brought into light the collectivist and hierarchical nature of Japanese society, unlike the western societies which are individualistic and non-hierarchical. What this means for Japanese society is that in order to move up the hierarchy in their work status Japanese people often tend to overwork themselves so as to please their bosses and maintain group harmony.

THE ROLE OF YAKUZA IN JAPAN

Men donning Yakuza style tattoos | Credit: Jorge/Wikimedia Commons

The avenue of organized crime in Japan has been dominated by the Yakuza, known as bōryokudan or gokudō, for years. These Yakuza groups are primarily mafia-like criminal organizations whose existence is deeply entrenched in Japanese history. These groups were at their glory in the 1960s with gang membership of about 184, 000 but in the 21st century, it has been reduced to about 80,000 members. The Yakuza comprises of several gangs which are affiliated to about 20 conglomerate gangs, of which the Yamaguchi-Gumi is the largest.

Living up to its name of a criminal organisation, the Yakuza engage in a number of shady activities including extortion, blackmail, smuggling, prostitution, drug trafficking, gambling, loan sharking, day- labour contracting, and other rackets. But the control of the Yakuza over Japan stretches across different fields, even unlikely ones such as entertainment industries, restaurants and bars and taxi companies, and other major factories and businesses. Unsurprisingly, the Yakuza are also involved in international crimes.

One of the major activities that the Yakuza are known to engage in is Drug trafficking especially of methamphetamine, although such activities are only condoned by some gangs and others such as the Yamaguchi-Gumi strictly disapprove of such actions. Perhaps even further down the moral scale than drug trafficking, the Yakuza are infamous for engaging in human trafficking in extensive scales. Often young girls from small villages are persuaded to come to big cities by the Yakuza, who promise them good jobs and respectable positions in the society, but in reality, forcing them to become sex workers after they arrive. They also follow a practice of extortion specific to Japan, known as ‘sōkaiya’ which basically means a protection racket.

However, the Yakuza’s relationship with Japanese society is more complex than it might seem to appear in the first glance. While some natives are completely repulsed by the idea of the Yakuzas, others perceive it as a form of a necessary evil. The possible reason for this may be the Yakuza’a existence in Japanese society for hundreds of years and also some philanthropic deeds that the Yakuza has undertaken for the people of their nation. For instance, during the Kobe Earthquake of 1955 and the Tsunami in 2011, the gangs took up the task of delivering and distributing essential supplies to victims. While the Yakuza has certainly evolved into a relatively more crime-free group compared to it’s earlier manifestations, the nature of the group and its relationship with Japanese society still remains complicated, especially the one between the police and the Yakuza, both of which, much suspect work hand in hand.

THE NIGHTLIFE IN JAPAN – PROSTITUTION RINGS

Prostitution (baishun, i.e, selling spring) declared illegal by the Japanese government is present in Japan, on an extensive scale. Their existence which is in direct contradiction to the law, is perhaps possible by their affiliation and control by the Yakuza and also perhaps due to their covert means of operating. The Japanese government in the second half of the 20th century had banned prostitution, but this ban catered to only a narrow definition, i.e, intercourse in exchange of payment, therefore living ample space for functioning of oral copulation, erotic massages, etc, which are therefore entirely legal. This, these activities along and even intercourse, is a largely occurring event in the nightlife of Japan. Tokyo, for example, is believed to have one of the largest red-light districts in the world. Pink salons that specialize in oral pleasure are common and so are some shady ‘spa’ businesses which carry out such activities, under an innocent pretext.

Photograph of girls working in pleasure house “Sakuraya” in port town of Yokohama

Most of the prostitutes are trafficked slaves, and what’s even more sickening is the child prostitution prevalent in Japan. The legal age of consent for a girl in Japan is 13, so most underage sex is protected by law, and often conveniently blame the girls, as inviting it upon themselves. The child prostitution racket in Japan, often called the JK Trade is perhaps embedded in the Japanese culture of sexualizing young girls, which is evident in the craze over maid cafes, and the way young girl’s bodies are represented in anime and manga, all of which are a very prominent part of Japanese Culture.

CONCLUSION

Therefore, it may well be understood that Japanese culture, is not as bright and cheery as it may seem at first glance. It is an undeniable fact that therefore, that there is another side to the coin, i.e, while Japanese culture is rightful to boast about its many vibrant festivals and whatnot, the dark side of Japan primarily represented by the existence of Yakuza and its role in Japanese society, Suicide prevalence in Japan and prostitution rings along with other issues such as poor economy, sub-standard educational and bureaucratic system and high rising prices, are ever-present.

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“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.”

-Nelson Mandela

DEFINITION OF CHILD AND JUVENILE UNDER THE JUVENILE JUSTICE ACT, 2015 AND OTHER VARIOUS LAWS

The term child means a person who has not attained the age of 18 years and is not matured enough to understand what is wrong and right. Most of the countries have adopted the principle “Doli Incapex”, which means a person is deemed incapable of forming the intent to commit a crime or tort, especially by reason of age. According to the penal laws, a child between the age of seven to twelve can only be convicted of a crime only when the crime is heinous and they had sufficient knowledge to understand the consequences of their actions. The Juvenile (Care and Protection) Act, 2015 Section 2 (12) defines a ‘child’ as a person who has not completed eighteen years of age, further, it classifies into two categories-

• child in conflict with the law, the child who committed an offence and is under the age of 18 years on the date of commission of the offence.
• child in need of care and protection, children from deprived and marginalized sections of society as well as those with different needs and vulnerabilities.

Children Act,1960 Section 2(e) describes a child as a boy who has not reached the age of sixteen years or a girl who has not reached the age of eighteen years. Whereas the United Convention on the Rights of Child, 1989 defines child means a human being below the age of eighteen years unless the law declaration applicable to the child, the majority is attained earlier.

HISTORY OF JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM IN INDIA

After the independence of India, The Children Act 1960 came into play. The Act not be adopted by all the states led to different law being applied in different parts of the nation. To bring uniformity in the system the Juvenile Justice Act 1986 was enacted to provide care, protection, development and rehabilitation of neglected or delinquent juveniles. To protect the best interest of the juvenile offenders, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted a convention on the Rights of Child in 1989. The Convention states that to protect the social – reintegration of juvenile, he shall not be subjected to judicial proceedings. This led India to repel the Juvenile Justice Act 1986 and gave effect to a new act called “The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000.

The frightful incident of “Delhi Gang Rape Case”, forced the Indian Legislature to amend the previous act twice- first in 2006 and later in 2011. The act was replaced soon by The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act, 2015. The aim is to integrate the laws relating to children suspected and found to be in conflict with the law and children in need of care and protection through caring and taking into account their basic needs through proper care and security, growth, treatment and social integration, by adopting a child-friendly approach to the adjudication and disposal of matters in the best interest of children. The Act also focuses on the rehabilitation of young offenders through numerous childcare centres and institution. The highlights the formation of two main bodies that would deal with the young offenders, i.e., the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB’S) and Child Welfare Committee’s (CWCs). 

JUVENILE JUSTICE BOARD AND CHILD WELFARE COMMITTEE

The Juvenile Justice Board shall be formed in each district for the exercise of powers and the discharge of its duties relating to juveniles in conflict with the law. The JJB shall perform a preliminary inquiry to determine whether a juvenile offender is to be returned for probation or is to be charged as an adult. In the same way, the Child Welfare Committee deals with all children who are ‘in need of care and protection’ i.e. children from deprived and vulnerable parts of society, as well as those with different needs and disadvantages, and aims at providing institutional care and protection and their rehabilitation, reintegration, and restoration. 

COMPOSITION, POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF CWC’s AND JJB’s

• Each CWC shall be comprised of a Chairperson and four other members, of whom at least one member should be a woman and another expert on child-related issues.
• CWC’s deals with the children who belong to the deprived sections of society as well as those with specific needs and disabilities, while JJB’s deals with those accused of a crime.
• The CWC has the exclusive power to administer all activities related to children in need of treatment and care. 
• The JJB shall have the authority to deal exclusively with all the proceedings under the Act, relating to children in conflict with the law, in the area of jurisdiction of such Board.

JUVENILE JUSTICE AND CONSTITUTION OF INDIA

The Constitution of India is considered as the fundamental law of India. Constitution provides rights and duties of citizens. It also provides provision for the working of the government machinery. Part III of the Constitution defines the Fundamental Rights for its citizens, whereas Part IV of the Constitution defines Directive Principles of State Policies (DPSP), which serves as general guidelines for the shaping of government policies. The Constitution of India provided for certain fundamental rights and obligations, for the welfare of children. 

• Article 21A- Right to free and compulsory elementary education for all the children under the age of 6 to 14 years. 
• Article 24- Right to be protected from any hazardous employment under the age of 14 age.
• Article 39 (e)- Right to be protected from being abused in any form by an adult.
• Article 39- Right to be protected from human trafficking and forced the bonded labour system. 
• Article 47- Right to be provided with good nutrition and a proper standard of living. 
• Article 15(3)- Special powers to the State to make any special laws for the upliftment and the betterment of children and women. 

Hence, while drafting the Juvenile Act, 2015 the legislature considered all the required provisions laid down in the Constitution to protect children’s rights in all practicable ways. 

CONCLUSION

Juvenile crimes are a bitter truth and to reduce the rate of juvenile crimes, the Act needs to be effectively implemented and awareness must be spread. The attitude and mindset of key actors in the system, such as the police, needs to be changed from prosecuting to transforming the youth on conflict with the law. There are various psychological, biological, physiological and personal factors responsible for juvenile delinquency. Change is possible through better social, economic conditions, creation of awareness and also through the change in people’s attitudes towards juveniles.

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