Voices of Japanese Women: The Domestic Violence Experiences in Their Intimate Relationships with American Men

Abstract

This study was conducted among 114 native-Japanese female students at the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa. The finding shows that there were 71 women (62.3%) who had intimate relationships with American men, and there were 14 women (12.3%) who had domestic violence incidents in their intimate relationships with American men. While this thesis touches on the nature of intimate relationships between Japanese female students and American males, its primary focus is on the issue of domestic violence. Relying on surveys and in-depth interviews, this thesis seeks to explore the conceptualization of domestic violence among Japanese female students, as well as to understand some common characteristics of domestic violence within the context of interracial relationships. This study concludes with some future considerations and recommendations in addressing domestic violence amongst Japanese.