As the Sexual Harassment Prevention Act (性騷擾防治法) passed its third reading in the Legislative Yuan yesterday, women's rights activists said the new law was a gift for Taiwanese women.
"The importance of the Sexual Harassment Act is that sexual harassment will be defined as a crime from now on," said Gau Fehng-shian (高鳳仙), a judge with the Taiwan High Court and a member of the Alliance to Campaign for the Three Prevention Acts, a women's rights advocacy group.
The "three prevention acts" are the Sexual Harassment Prevention Act, the Sexual Abuse Prevention Act (
In a press conference held by the alliance and female lawmakers yesterday, Gau said that the passage of the law would force the public to treat sexual harassment more seriously and would deter sex offenders.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Hsiao Bi-khim (
"Female legislators from all parties have been putting enormous effort into pushing for the passage of the Sexual Harassment Prevention Act in the Legislative Yuan. I am very proud of our cooperation, and I believe the passage of the act is a big move for women in Taiwan," Hsiao said.
Echoing Hsiao's remark, People First Party Legislator Chin Huei-chu (
"The amendments to the Sexual Abuse Prevention Act and Domestic Violence Prevention Act are still pending. If the other two laws are amended, it will be extremely good news for all women," Chin added.
Gau explained that the difference between the Sexual Harassment Prevention Act and the other two laws is that the sexual prevention act stipulates dual responsibility for offenders and the parties in charge of the premises in which a crime takes place.
"If sexual harassment happens in the MRT, for example, not only will the offender be punished, but the MRT administration will have to share responsibility and come up with proper solutions, such as posting offenders' pictures in all stations as a warning to the public," Gau said.
Under the Sexual Harassment Prevention Act, actions including molesting, kissing by force, bribing for sexual services, or intimidating people for sexual purposes in a public place will all be regarded as sexual harassment.
According to the act, public places include areas such as parks, subways, bus stations, airports, restaurants, hospitals and temples.
Victims of sexual harassment that occurs in schools or at the workplace are protected by the Gender Equality in Employment Law (
The act also asks the government at every level to establish arbitration systems which might provide a more flexible way for victims to report a crime without having to face the offender in court.
Three batches of banana sauce imported from the Philippines were intercepted at the border after they were found to contain the banned industrial dye Orange G, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said yesterday. From today through Sept. 2 next year, all seasoning sauces from the Philippines are to be subject to the FDA’s strictest border inspection, meaning 100 percent testing for illegal dyes before entry is allowed, it said in a statement. Orange G is an industrial coloring agent that is not permitted for food use in Taiwan or internationally, said Cheng Wei-chih (鄭維智), head of the FDA’s Northern Center for
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
LOOKING NORTH: The base would enhance the military’s awareness of activities in the Bashi Channel, which China Coast Guard ships have been frequenting, an expert said The Philippine Navy on Thursday last week inaugurated a forward operating base in the country’s northern most province of Batanes, which at 185km from Taiwan would be strategically important in a military conflict in the Taiwan Strait. The Philippine Daily Inquirer quoted Northern Luzon Command Commander Lieutenant General Fernyl Buca as saying that the base in Mahatao would bolster the country’s northern defenses and response capabilities. The base is also a response to the “irregular presence this month of armed” of China Coast Guard vessels frequenting the Bashi Channel in the Luzon Strait just south of Taiwan, the paper reported, citing a
About 4.2 million tourist arrivals were recorded in the first half of this year, a 10 percent increase from the same period last year, the Tourism Administration said yesterday. The growth continues to be consistent, with the fourth quarter of this year expected to be the peak in Taiwan, the agency said, adding that it plans to promote Taiwan overseas via partnerships and major events. From January to June, 9.14 million international departures were recorded from Taiwan, an 11 percent increase from the same period last year, with 3.3 million headed for Japan, 1.52 million for China and 832,962 to South Korea,
RSS