'Kakekomi' Temple and Women's Problems

Abstract

1)'Kakekomi'(Shelter) Temple of the Edo Period Under the Tokugawa Government Law concerning the people of the common class, only men were allowed to get a divorce by giving his wife a letter of divorce, while women had no right to ask for a divorce. The only possibility left for wives was to run into the so-called Kakekomi Temple, which offered distressed wives a shelter and a chance to seek an arranged divorce by the temple. Kakekomi Temple functioned as a place to solve women's problems. 2)'Kakekomi' Temple of Today The following institutions work as 'kakekomi' Temple of today: a)Homes for mothers and children b)Shelter for women in need of sicial care c)International shelter for abused women, ex. HELP (Home in Emergency of Love and Peace) These homes and organizations help to protect women's lives and women's rights. Especially, HELP has delivered foreign female workers out of forced prostiution and physical violence. For equality of men and women more efforts must be made to improve the condition of women.