Research on the protection of sexual privacy by criminal law

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K01352
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 05050:Criminal law-related
• Research Institution: Osaka Metropolitan University (2022-2023); Osaka City University (2020-2021)
• Principal Investigator: KANAZAWA Mari 大阪公立大学, 大学院法学研究科, 教授 (10302283)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 性的自由 / 盗撮 / 再犯防止 / 性的プライヴァシー / ジェンダー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aims to name sexual privacy as the interest of individuals in the private sphere to be free from intervention by anyone other than those of their own choosing, and to focus on the methods and modes of protection using punishment for such invasions. The study first uses traditional criminal law methods to clarify the significance of sexual privacy and the forms of its violation in comparison with other sexual offences in relation to invasions of the private sphere, such as voyeurism using small filming devices, and then examines the scope of prohibition by criminal law in terms of both theory and practice with regard to whether and how the invasion should be regulated.
The study also examined, from a criminal policy perspective, measures and frameworks relating to problematic behaviours that violate sexual privacy and their prevention, following the evolution of the state of debate in the adjacent field of sexual diversity.

Free Research Field

刑法、刑事法学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

小型精密機器等の発達、普及によって容易になった盗撮等の行為は防止の必要性が高い。その規制については、近年抜本的な性犯罪に関する刑法改正とともに、特別法が設けられたが、法の適正な運用をはかるためにも、特に処罰を科してまで保護すべき性的なプライヴァシーの意義の解明、保護態様の精査が一層要請されている。特に性の多様性に直面し、刑法的な介入を要する基準の導出は、関連する諸分野の学術研究に示唆を与え、社会的にも意義が大きいと考えられる。