Mai Endo (35), a former member of the group ‘Idoling’, confessed that she had been sexually harassed by someone in the idol industry.
According to foreign media outlets such as Japanese media outlet J-Cast News on the 20th, Endo revealed the fact that she was a victim of sexual violence, saying, “I had an experience of being sexually victimized, but I couldn’t say it at the time.”
On the 17th, Endo posted on her social media, “I was invited by an acquaintance during my girl group days. “She attended one meeting without suspecting people because she trusted them,” she wrote.
As Endo was leaving to go home, an acquaintance pushed her into the taxi that Mr. A, the number one person in the industry, was taking. Endo got into the taxi without being able to refuse the ride. Mr. A touched Endo’s body in the car and said things like, ‘Do you know how much I liked you?’ He said he would send me home but he got off right away.
Endo was shocked and cried and called the man she was dating at the time. However, she was scolded by him and told him things such as ‘You are bad for showing a loophole’, and Endo despaired. Endo said of the situation at the time, “He could have escalated the situation by reporting, but he didn’t even want to think about what happened with the perpetrator. “He told his manager the truth and asked him not to have anything to do with that person in the future,” he explained.
Endo said, “I wasn’t sexually assaulted, but after something unpleasant happened to me sexually, I wanted to cleanse myself. “I took a long, hot shower and washed my body to the point where blood came out,” he confessed. “It is often said, ‘If you are a victim of rape, report it to the police immediately to leave evidence,’ but how many women are in a state of shock and make a cool-headed decision and leave their bad feelings as is? “When I was victimized, there were no complaints like now, but with the current trend, I think I can now say this,” he added.
Meanwhile, Endo served as the lead vocalist in the group ‘Idoling’ and also debuted as a solo singer in 2013. He retired from the entertainment industry in 2017 and currently works as a vocal instructor.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.