“We’ll invest in you if you have sex with us” – Loopholes in the law regulating sexual harassment against female entrepreneurs are causing trouble for startups Sexual harassment is becoming a problem in the startup industry. There have been a number of cases of investors taking advantage of the power dynamics to commit sexual violence against female entrepreneurs. Experts and those involved in the industry are calling for the creation of an environment that protects entrepreneurs, in addition to correcting the male-dominated gender balance. (Takeya Naoko) ◆ “Let’s talk about work,” he said, then forced a kiss. “If you become my mistress, I’ll give you 1 million yen a month.” These were the words that an investor told Matsuzaka Miho, who was aiming to expand her business into areas such as counseling, a few years ago. I’ve also had the experience of being forced to kiss someone when we met and they asked me to talk about work. “He made sexual demands without even looking at my business plan. “I told them, ‘This will hurt people and it’s not good,’ but they didn’t understand,” he said. Due to repeated sexual harassment, she developed a mental illness and gave up on starting her own business. Afterwards, I spoke to other female entrepreneurs and found that many of them were in the same situation. In October of this year, Matsusaka launched the “Startup Union,” a community for those involved in the sexual assault industry, with the aim of eradicating sexual crimes in the industry. “Quiddable sexual harassment (where the victim’s response determines whether they benefit or lose) is overwhelmingly prevalent. “Sexual intercourse is a common scenario in which they will invest in you.”
◆ Survey shows that “More than 50% of female entrepreneurs have experienced harassment” A survey conducted in June by Kashino Sonnori of Irene Management School (Minato-ku, Tokyo), an educational institution with expertise in entrepreneurial activities, found that 55 out of 105 female entrepreneurs (52.4%) had experienced sexual harassment in the past year. The most common perpetrators were investors and venture capitalists (44.4%). On the other hand, only 14.8% reported the abuse to those around them. The reasons given include “fear of retaliation.” According to the Financial Services Agency, only 2% of CEOs of newly listed companies are women. The fact that women are in the minority creates a power gap that becomes a breeding ground for sexual harassment. Non-employed entrepreneurs are not protected by sexual harassment laws unless they have a contractual relationship with the perpetrator. Kashino said, “Preventive measures and relief for those affected are insufficient. “We should first create a system where people can report abuse and have experts provide support, and then establish penalties by law.” In his third year of university, he developed an artificial intelligence (AI)-related technology and received an investment from a venture capital firm (VC)… (The following is a paid version, 890 characters remaining) Tokyo Shimbun, December 13, 2024, 6:00 a.m.
If it’s a project that is likely to pay off, you’ll be in high demand, but if you’re aiming for a niche industry, success isn’t guaranteed, so you’re at a disadvantage either way. You can’t get by on one or two good luck lol Give up!
You’re responsible for the livelihood of your employees and their families, so just get through that kind of hell quietly. At first, you might get a one-time scam, but if you’re prepared to put your body on the line, you’ll eventually become a heroine who doesn’t give in and takes everything.
Of course, if you try to get individuals to give you money, they’ll probably ask for something in return. If you want to start a business, you’ll either have to borrow money from a financial institution or do it with your own money.
>>31 Well, we could just make a database of those investors. As an investor who makes sexual demands without making the information public, you should just give the person seeking advice an investor evaluation.
Just sue a few people and expose their names and faces to make an example of them. If you record the audio properly, you can use it in court to pressure them to invest.
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