Victim autonomy and criminal law theory

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K13544
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 05050:Criminal law-related
• Research Institution: Meiji University (2021); Soka University (2020); Waseda University (2019)
• Principal Investigator: Kikuchi Kazuki 明治大学, 法務研究科, 専任講師 (70734705)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 自律 / 被害者の同意 / ゆすり / 強制 / 欺罔 / 被害者解釈学 / 利益誘導 / ステルシング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The aim of this research is to examine the fundamental meaning of the concept of victim autonomy in criminal law, and to consider solutions based on a normative approach rather than an approach that overemphasizes psychological factors. This research first analyzed the American literature about the paradox of blackmail and provided clues to clarify the essence of "coercion". Second, I comprehensively analyzed the German literature about "Viktimodogmatik" in order to examine the influence on victim protection. Third, I researched the thema of "rape by deception" and gained a perspective to examine the adequacy of the punischment for those acts.

Free Research Field

刑法

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

個別的なトピックの検討を通じて、素朴な心理主義を克服した、規範的なアプローチに基づく「自律」の限界づけの重要性を明らかにするとともに、その具体的な限界づけについて一定の方向性を示すことができた。本研究の成果は、近時さらなる改正に向けて議論が先鋭化している性犯罪の処罰範囲をめぐる問題や、安楽死・尊厳死の刑法的評価をめぐる問題など、現代社会が抱える問題の解決にも資するものである。