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Woman sues neighbors for rant

A married couple in Taipei was sued by a neighbor for ranting about her in the couple's bathroom.

The woman, surnamed Chiu (邱), filed slander and intimidation lawsuits against the married couple, whom she claimed often shouted humiliating phrases in the bathroom.

Chiu said that when she took a shower at home on Aug. 21, she heard the woman, surnamed Lo (羅), who lives in the building next door, ranting loudly that Chiu had reported a neighbor to the police for child abuse and called her a "psycho" and a "liar."

Lo was also taking a shower as well at the time, and Lo's bathroom is located only across a small courtyard from her own bathroom, Chiu said.

Although Lo didn't address her by name, Chiu, upon hearing the words, believed that Lo meant to humiliate her, Chiu said.

Chiu said that Lo's husband rang her doorbell as Lo ranted. And as Chiu did not answer the door, she said she then later heard Lo's husband shouting from the couple's bathroom, "why hide in the bathroom?"

The couple even set up a lamp that shined a strong beam of light towards Chiu's bathroom window on purpose to disturb her daily life, Chiu said.

Chiu said she has never reported any case of child abuse, hence the accusation was a complete slander. Meanwhile, she felt intimidated by the couple's words and actions.

Chiu then decided to record everything the couple said in the bathroom and filed slander and intimidation lawsuits against them.

Prosecutors have accepted the case, and will summon the two sides to testify.

Commenting on the case, a senior judge pointed out that although a bathroom is a private space, one could still be indicted for public humiliation if he or she speaks humiliating words about an individual that are loud enough for others to hear.

The chance of indictment would be even higher if the voice volume is so loud that anyone could overhear it without intentionally listening, the judge said.

If prosecuted, the offending party may be jailed or pay a fine up to NT$300.
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