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Nurse wins NT$400,000 in sexual harassment suit

A Chang Gung Hospital (長庚醫院) nurse yesterday was awarded NT$400,000 in compensation in a sexual harassment suit against one of the hospital's doctors.

The amount awarded the nurse, Yang Li-chuan (楊麗娟), is the highest payout ever for a sexual harassment case.

After hearing the testimony of Yang's co-workers, the Taipei District Court ruled yesterday that Shen Chin-hua (沈青華), an anesthesiology specialist, had sexually harassed the nurse in two separate incidents in April and August 1998.

The court ruled that Shen's behavior constituted an infringement on the nurse's personal liberty and also caused her psychological injury.

At the time the doctor committed the indescretion, the nurse filed a complaint with the hospital, which carried out an investigation and then closed it without taking disciplinary action.

Much to the victim's dismay, the hospital decided to retain the doctor while ordering her transferred from Tayuan to Kaohsiung.

Yang's husband, Sun Shu-teh (孫樹德), said yesterday's court ruling was a victory not only for his wife, but a triumph for gender equality.

"Finally, society can see who is right and who is wrong. My wife and I have been under a lot of stress, constantly having to endure the mockery and misunderstanding of both people we know and strangers," Sun said.

"Now the verdict proves that the ruthless doctor is the one who should be ashamed, and that those who have no respect for women should be ashamed," he said.

Sun said he had asked his wife not to attend the verdict announcement yesterday, fearing she would be disappointed with the result. He said they planned to donate the money to charity, as they had only brought the suit against Shen to ensure that he received a just punishment for his behavior.

The court found that in April 1998, Shen put his hand on Yang's back and pinched her neck and shoulder in an emergency room. Four months later, he stroked her hip while she was wheeling a patient.

On both occasions, the nurse scolded Shen sternly after the incident took place, but the doctor ignored the warnings and continued his advances.

The Awakening Foundation (婦女新知基金會), which assisted the nurse in taking legal action, noted following the verdict yesterday that legal changes are needed to hold employers liable for allowing sexual harrassment to take place.
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