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Tue, Apr 03, 2001 - Page 2　News List

Combating sexual harassment

According to the Council of Labor Affairs, 7.55 percent of female employees said last year that sexual harassment had been committed in their companies, but less than 30 percent of the charges resulted in disciplinary actions against the perpetrators. A recent complaint lodged by female interns against a DPP official highlights the scope of the problem in Taiwan.

"It does not even bother the employers at all. However righteous the decisions they [the commissions] give may be, their effect is significantly reduced by the small size of the fines,"said Yao Shu-wen (姚淑文), vice chief executive of the Modern Women's Foundation (現代婦女基金會), which has campaigned for special legislation on sexual harassment prevention over the past two years.

Changing mind-set

In December 1999 the Modern Women's Foundation carried out a poll on public attitudes about sexual harassment. Nearly 90 percent of respondents endorsed the idea of creating a piece of legislation for combating sexual harassment.

The overwhelming support was attributed to low confidence in the capability of the existing system to prevent and deter sexual harassment.

In light of the recent DPP case, the legislature is scheduled to review the Sexual Harassment Prevention Bill (性騷擾防治法) this week.

On the one hand, legal changes are probably an effective way to check unwelcome sexual advances. But it is believed a changed mind-set is equally important.

"Legal liabilities alone will not be enough. What our society needs is re-education on gender equality and a changed mind-set. Only true respect for others can prevent one from doing something offensive,"said Su Chien-ling (蘇芊玲), chairwoman of the Awakening Foundation.

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