After the widespread reach of the #MeToo campaign on social media, many U.S. citizens came out to share their personal stories of sexual harassment and assault they have been subjected to in their lives. The hashtag provided a circumstance in which people could speak out against not only sexual harassment, but also the normalization of it. In the United States the reporting of sexual assault is encouraged and looked into, but in Japan the subject is a bit taboo, and when reported may often be disregarded. Despite this, one Japanese woman has decided to fight back and get justice.

Shiori Ito, an intern at a news service at the time, alleged that Noriyuki Yamaguchi, the Washington bureau chief of the Tokyo Broadcasting System and biographer of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, had raped her. Yamaguchi had invited Ito out for a drink when she started to feel dizzy; she excused herself and rushed to the restroom, where she passed out. Ito alleges that Yamaguchi took her back to his hotel room, where he raped her while she was still unconscious. Yamaguchi has denied the allegations, but whether they are true or not (although there is footage of Yamaguchi with a passed out Ito in tow on the hotel lobby’s camera), her story has successfully brought some attention to sexual harassment in Japan.

According to the New York Times article only one in 15 Japanese reported they were raped, but according to scholars they are less likely than western women to label nonconsensual sex as rape. In addition to that Japanese rape law doesn’t mention consent or date rape, and there is little in the way of sexual harassment education. Yet when woman do speak up and go to the police to report rape, unless there are signs of self defense, the cases are often not taken as seriously according to the same article. Cases where either the victim or suspect have been drinking are often discouraged.

Not only is it brave of Ito to share her story in and of itself, but to do it in a climate where rape isn’t considered serious unless you have bruises on your body, and to do so in the hopes of changing that climate is inspiring. She has filed a civil suit against Yamaguchi, and has written a book, Black Box, in which she describes in detail her experience in order to bring light to the suffering of others in Japan who have been victims of sexual violence and to encourage them to speak out. It’s a step in the right direction to change not only the minds of those in Japan who don’t take sexual harassment seriously, but also Japanese law regarding sexual violence and perhaps may one day lead to education in the matter.

Change must start somewhere, and Ito was brave enough to take the responsibility upon herself.