The Ministry of National Defense issued a statement on Friday saying that a counter-lawsuit is being considered against a female corporal who has filed a lawsuit alleging bullying and sexual harassment within the military.
The corporal, surnamed Huang (黃), served in the outlying island of Matsu.
In September last year, she alleged she was the target of bullying and sexual harassment by her fellow soldiers.
However, military officials said their investigation indicated there was no evidence to support her allegations.
The case has turned into a heated legal dispute, with Huang and her family filing a lawsuit against soldiers and superiors in her unit at the Army Matsu Defense Command.
In turn, the ministry said it is considering a counter-lawsuit alleging false accusation, adding that the corporal has tarnished the image of the nation’s troops.
The ministry said a panel was formed to investigate the case, in accordance with the provisions of the Sexual Harassment Prevention Act (性騷擾防治法), when Huang made the allegations in September last year.
The investigation wrapped up on Oct. 20 after it concluded there was no evidence backing up the corporal’s accusations.
Subsequently, Huang and her father sued fellow soldiers and officials last month, while the accused also launched a lawsuit at the local district prosecutors’ office.
The ministry’s statement said the corporal had refused to participate in her unit’s training regime and failed to carry out her assigned duties, and therefore has laid an “insubordination” charge against her, which was filed with local public prosecutors earlier this month.
Huang had alleged that some of her fellow soldiers engaged in lewd behavior, such as rubbing against her buttocks while standing in line at the mess hall during meal time.
After making her initial complaint last year, Huang said that unit officials ordered her to perform cleaning duties by kneeling down to wipe the floors, and also had someone following her everywhere, taking photographs and keeping her under surveillance.
“It was their way to punish me,” she said. “I was physically and mentally distressed by these actions.”
However, the panel said their investigation and questioning of witnesses found no evidence for her allegations.
According to local media reports, fellow soldiers interviewed said no sexual harassment took place and that the corporal habitually complained, acted spoiled and would avoid work by saying things were too heavy for her, and that she was always grumbling about the “hard conditions” in the army.
Chen Yu-lin (陳育琳), the female director for the political warfare section at the Matsu Defense Command, reiterated the panel’s findings on Friday, saying it was a case of false accusation and that the corporal had personal disciplinary issues and attitude problems.
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