キーワード：社会法学、家族政策、比較法、虐待、暴力

現代社会が抱える様々な問題は、家庭が孤立しているところに起因するものが多いのではないか、と考える本澤巳代子先生。目指すのは、地域全体で子ども達を育てお年寄りを大切にするという市民社会、それぞれの家庭の孤立が防がれる環境の実現です。本リサーチユニット（図１）では、社会政策学、法学、医学という人間の根幹に関わる学問を融合させた独創的なアプローチをもって、家庭内暴力や虐待の問題を切り口に、真に有効な家族政策が研究されています。

家族間の虐待や暴力を、現代家族の変容から生じるものとして総合的に把握する

いま、児童・高齢者・障がい者虐待や配偶者間暴力が問題となっています。わが国では、被害者を保護する観点から、被害者の種別により個別の法律が制定され、それぞれの施策が講じられてきました。施策の対象者が明確なのはメリットとなりますが、高齢の障がいをもった夫婦の間での暴力・虐待のように、どの法律や施策の対象になるのかという問題が生じます。実はこの点で日本は特殊です。これは、アジアと欧米諸国を含め、合計11か国の虐待・暴力防止法制に関する国際比較研究を通じてわかったことです。私たちは、家庭内の暴力や虐待は現代家族の変容から生じる病理現象の１つと考え、諸外国の法制度・政策を参考にしながら、暴力や虐待を防ぐ諸施策を横断的・総合的に把握し検討します。

医学、法学、社会政策学など、幅広い専門知識を融合させ有効かつ具体的な施策を提案する

家族のための総合政策で目指すのは家庭が孤立しないような地域社会ですが、その障害となるのが社会の感覚・意識です。日本は国際的な条約を批准するために法制度を整備してきましたが、法と日本社会の感覚・意識の間には大きな隔たりがあります。法律で定められた枠組みが、実際の社会ではどのように機能しているのか、またはしていないのか、その点を研究し、行動規範としての法律を整備することで、社会を理想の方向に近づけたいと考えます（図2）。そして、社会保障法以外の法律分野や医学的見地をも取り入れ多岐にわたる分野の研究者と連携することでより有効な施策を創出し、このような諸施策を国際的なネットワークを活かして国際会議や書籍を通じて提言しています。

 (取材：平成25年9月19日)

Unit Name: Total Policy for the Family

Key words: Social law, family policy, comparative jurisprudence, abuse, violence

Professor Miyoko Motozawa considers that most problems of modern society are caused by the social isolation of families. She aims to realize a civil society where there is a strong communal approach to raising children and looking after elderly people, as well as a social environment that can prevent the isolation of families. This research unit (Figure 1) investigates a truly effective family policy by examining family violence and abuse using a novel approach by integrating studies of social policy, law, and medical science as the basis of human society.

Comprehensive understanding of family abuse and violence as resulting from changes in family status

Currently, the abuse of children, elderly people, and disabled persons, as well as spousal abuse have been raised as problems. To protect such victims, individual laws targeting specific types of victim were established, and measures were taken against each type of crime occurring in Japan. The clarity of identifying persons subject to the law, such as the above victims, is an advantage of the law; however, problems remain regarding those who are not subject to the existing laws or measures, such as violence and abuse involving elderly couples with disabilities. This, which is unique to Japan, was revealed as a result of an international comparison study on the abuse/violence prevention act implemented in 11 countries in Asia, Europe, and North America. We view domestic violence and abuse as a socially pathological phenomenon resulting from changes in the family status, and examine measures to prevent them cross-sectionally and comprehensively by referring to acts and measures implemented in other countries.

Proposing effective and practical measures by integrating a wide range of professional knowledge, such as medical science, law, and social policy

To prevent the social isolation of families, which is the aim of our research unit, “Total policy for the family”, people’s social sense and awareness are factors that hamper it. The Japanese government has improved legal systems in order to ratify international treaties; however, there is a wide gap between the law and social sense and awareness of Japanese citizens. We examine whether or not/how a legal framework set up by the law functions within society, and strive to achieve a society close to ideals by improving the law to reinforce acceptable behavior (Figure 2). We also develop effective measures by incorporating medical and legal perspectives other than social security and cooperating with other researchers from multiple fields of study, and report such measures through international conferences and publication using an international network.