In 1988, 16-year-old Junko Furuta was abducted and tortured for 44 days in a Tokyo suburb while neighbors and police turned a blind eye. This inaugural episode of Bearing Witness investigates one of Japan’s most harrowing crimes, exposing how societal apathy, flawed juvenile justice laws, and institutional indifference enabled unimaginable cruelty. Through expert analysis and unflinching storytelling, we dissect the systemic failures that silenced Junko’s cries for help and explore how her legacy spurred incremental reforms—and where gaps still persist. Learn how bystander inaction, victim-blaming norms, and lenient sentencing perpetuate violence against women globally, and discover actionable steps to demand accountability. Join us in confronting the darkness that thrives in plain sight.

Bearing witness is not passive. It is active, relentless, and determined. It demands we recognize the dignity of every victim and insist on accountability from every institution.

In our next episode, we journey from Japan to India to uncover another tragic failure of justice—the devastating story of Liga Skromane, a woman whose search for healing ended in unspeakable tragedy.

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