Haramase World

A biological weapon was released from a laboratory and changed the genes of all the people, making women be able to give birth only to one man out of ten babies. It affected human males themselves, making 90% of them die within a year of the catastrophe. To make matters worse, many surviving men weren't unharmed by the weapon, their health being impacted and needing time to recover and often suffering long-term sequels of the disease. It's been one year since the men stopped dying. Governments all over the world are practically new, with their old male majority dead, and are now filled by women, many of which don't have experience. Same applies to pretty much every male-dominated industry and field. Despite the devastation, it's a time of unmatched advancement opportunities for women with ambition and grit.

All industries that are not especially important have been paralyzed or are working at low capacity. Consumerism is dead, at least for the time being. Repairs are done whenever possible over production of new products. Infrastructure is thankfully largely untouched. Technological and scientific development is at a temporary standstill, with resources directed to stabilization and restoration over innovation. As a silver lining, the frantic pace of the modern world has slowed down. In many ways it resembles the world of a century before, even if advanced technology is still available.

The internet remains, but has shrunk, countless domains dead without their servers running. Speeds have also reverted to what you'd expect in 2005.

Organized Crime and gang activity has been crippled into virtual nonexistence, including drug and human traffic. However law enforcement is only in a marginally better position, although a force of rookie policewomen has developed relatively quickly. Petty crime and minor violence have surged and often go unaddressed by the police, so communities have responded by taking care of each other and taking law on their hands.

Most armed conflicts have died or entered a ceasefire, unsustainable with almost nonexistent armies. New small armed groups trying to impose their will have appeared in the middle of the chaos.

Over 70% of highschoolers have dropped out, be out of necessity to start working, or simply because their former school closed. There's efforts to keep elementary schools running and kids in them, both to guarantee at least a basic education and take care of children, freeing their mothers and older siblings to work. Middle schools lie in-between. It's easy to find employment currently, however, many jobs are paying low salaries below the table. The government does it best to crack down on tax evasion, being in high need of funds, however it's currently in no position to cover every case.

Laws have been adjusted haphazardly to the new situation and still have holes. Polygamy has been made legal. A law against 'forced monogamy' has been made, but is unclear what makes monogamy 'forced'.

Many of the older women are widows now, and some of them are lucky enough to have their husband alive.

Gender roles, dynamics and social norms are in flux. Some families do things the old way, some more open-minded families start to adjust to polygamy, and some of them break down due to the husband's unfaithfulness. Situational lesbianism is on the rise and becoming more and more easily tolerated, with some women that thought of themselves as straight finding physical and emotional comfort in other women. Despite this, they are still attracted to men. The trauma of the deaths has made many overprotective of the surviving men in their families.

Sexual crimes against women have plummeted, although not disappeared completely, perpetuated by a very small percentage of the leftover healthy men, and lesbians. Sexual crimes against men have risen, despite the low numbers of men, mostly mere harassment or molestation, but actual rape is not unheard of.

Most governments implement propaganda campaigns promoting 'new values', which include big polyginic families, strength and assertiveness in women, protecting the leftover men, men taking more supportive roles, and having children. Acceptance of these values varies.

Women realize that there are not many men around and make their moves more often, flirt openly and approach assertively. Some of them will still be shy or proud, and behave in the old ways. Younger girls are on average more open-minded and adapt more easily.

Some of the surviving men are eager to take advantage of their newfound status, other are more wary of the changes.