Women’s rights groups yesterday urged the nation’s justice system to protect the privacy of sex-trafficking victims during investigations.
The groups requested the media not to engage in voyeuristic guessing games by insinuating certain models and starlets might have been involved in an international escort ring.
Headed by Taiwan Women’s Link and other gender equality organizations, campaigners and women’s right advocates said officials and media reports have focused on the females caught up in the scandal, while paying little attention to the businessmen who paid to hire the female escorts for overseas trips.
Photo: Lo Pei-der, Taipei Times
Taiwan Women’s Link chairperson Huang Sue-ying (黃淑英) said the sex trade has a long history in all cultures, but males and females are treated differently in prostitution cases.
“Most of the time, the criticism is of the female, while less attention is paid to the men paying for sexual services. It is the same in this scandal. The behavior of these businessmen seems to be condoned while we see a witch hunt for the young models,” she said.
Huang said coverage of the scandal should focus on illegal human trafficking.
“This matter is not just about the attitude of some women seeking more money, but rather it concerns the brokers and agents of the trade infringing on the women’s rights,” she said.
End Child Prostitution in Asian Tourism-Taiwan Secretary-General Lee Li-fen (李麗芬) said human trafficking is a serious crime internationally and often the agents confiscate an escort’s passport to force them into engaging in the sex trade, as victims are in a foreign country where they cannot speak the language and do not know where to go for help.
Lee urged prosecutors to provide help for the victims and make certain their privacy is protected.
An executive of Taipei Women’s Rescue Foundation, Chang Kai-chian (張凱強), said Taiwan’s justice system needs to protect the victims’ identities in accordance with the Human Trafficking Prevention Act (人口販運防治法).
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