At a glance, it appears to be nothing more than a hand massage. In a corner of a shelter for survivors of the March disasters in Onagawa, Miyagi Prefecture, members of the NPO Miyagi-Jonet are trying to provide some respite for stressed-out female survivors.
Only, unbeknownst to the residents, one of those members is a lawyer specializing in women's issues, including sexual assault and domestic violence.
"Just a sympathetic ear and sensitive touch can elicit some heartrending revelations," says Yuko Kusano, cofounder of Miyagi-Jonet (an abbreviation of a more extended title meaning Miyagi Women's Rehabilitation Support Network).