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Ministry details sex laws' regulations

The Ministry of Education yesterday announced detailed regulations for implementing a gender-related law and also guidelines for the prevention of sex crimes on campus. Education and gender experts said the two drafts are a good start to better sex education on campus.

The Implementation Regulations of the Gender Equality Education Law (性別評等教育法施行細則) and the Criteria for Sexual Abuse or Harassment Prevention on Campus (校園性侵害或性騷擾防治準則) are designed to promote the concept of gender equality and provide an abuse-free environment on campus, with no sexual harassment.

"The basic idea behind the two drafts is humanity. Human beings are all the same, regardless of gender differences. It is important to reflect traditional concepts of gender-related issues in education," Minister of Education Tu Cheng-sheng (杜正勝) said yesterday during a press conference to introduce the two drafts.

"Integrating gender equality concepts into the curriculum helps raise students' consciousness on gender related issues. A better sex education can reduce cases of sexual discrimination and also prevent sexual harassment or abuse on campus," Tu said.

The Regulations of the Gender Equality Education Law include the establishment of safe campuses, assistance to pregnant students and incorporating gay and lesbian education in the curriculum.

According to Tu, the ministry designed a sex education chapter in junior high schools' social studies textbooks. The curriculum includes topics such as respecting people with different sexual orientations as well as proper sexual behavior.

In addition, military and police academies, which are not governed by the Ministry of Education, also need to abide by the regulations, according to the ministry.

The Criteria for Sexual Abuse or Harassment Prevention on Campus asked schools to provide lessons on sexual abuse and prevention of harassment.

Besides, schools are responsible for investigating complaints of sexual abuse or harassment on campus, even after the cases start going through the judicial process, the ministry said.

Luo Tsun-yin (羅燦煐), a member of the ministry's gender equality education committee, said that the two drafts aim at educating students about the importance of respecting sexual orientations and gender differences.

"The function of the regulations of the Gender Equality Education Law is preventive. If gender equality education fails to prevent sexual harassment or abuse, then we will use the criteria as a remedial measure to handle such cases," Luo said.

Su Chien-ling (蘇芊玲), director of the Taiwan Gender Equity Education Association, said that in addition to integrating gender equality related issues such as sex and gay and lesbian topics into sex-education courses, schools should also promote gender equality in physical education.

"The fact that we now have a female Olympic gold medalist in Taiwan shows that women can also excel in sports. It is important that schools encourage female students who show talent in sports," Su said.

The Gender Equality Education Law (性別平等教育法), which passed its third reading in the Legislative Yuan last year, requires schools to dedicate at least eight hours per semester to sex-education courses. Teachers need to incorporate gender equality related issues in their curriculum. Apart from this, colleges should provide more gender-related courses, according to the law.
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