Japanese women initiated the international recognition of domestic violence as a human rights violation. Confronted with the denial of the prevalence and harm of domestic violence, Japanese women professionals and community leaders established the Domestic Violence Action and Research Group (“DVARG”) in 1992. They conducted a nationwide survey that documented the existence of domestic violence, the physical and emotional damage suffered by women, and the failure of police, Family Court mediators and judges, and social services to provide help to the victims. In 1993, DVARG members presented their survey report and conducted a workshop on domestic violence for the NGO forum at the United Nations World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna. In response to this presentation, the Vienna Human Rights Conference recognized for the first time that domestic violence is a human rights issue.