Jigai
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Jigai (自害) was a traditional method of ritual suicide for women in Japan. Although the term literally means "self damage" and in principle can refer to suicide in general, in practice it normally refers to the ritual suicide of women by the cutting of the jugular vein with a short sword or dagger.
Jigai is the female equivalent of seppuku or hara-kiri, the ritual stomach-cutting suicide practiced by Japanese men. However, unlike seppuku, jigai could be performed without assistance. Since the severing of the jugular vein brought rapid death there was no need for beheading.
Before committing jigai, a woman would often tie her ankles together so her body would be found in a dignified pose, despite the convulsions of death. The act was often done to preserve one's honor if a military defeat was imminent, i.e. to prevent rape.
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