TOKYO Japan on Friday passed an unprecedented bill aimed at protecting victims of violence in the home, a move symbolizing the changing awareness of women's rights in a traditionally male-dominated society.

"Research has shown that there are increasing amounts of domestic violence and under the current law criminals have gone unpunished," said an official at the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, said.

The first government survey on domestic violence, issued last year, showed that more than 14 percent of the women who responded had received beatings that required medical treatment.

Fewer than five percent said they had been the victim of attacks they considered life-threatening. More than 17 percent said they had been forced to have sex against their will.

Under the new law that is expected to take effect from October, if a court recognizes that violence had taken place the spouse will not be permitted entry to areas near the victim's office or home.

The law, passed by the powerful Lower House of Parliament, specifies that if the victim lives with the spouse, the attacker will be ordered to leave the home for two weeks. The law also covers divorced individuals still in danger of violence from their former spouses.

A spouse who failed to comply with a court order faces a maximum of one year in jail or a fine of up to one million yen ($8,047).

The law calls on local governments to provide temporary shelters to women in danger of violence.

(Reuter)