New measures initiated by the government this year have been designed in the hope of saving sexual assault victims some of the feelings of experiencing a "second rape" in the legal system.
For example, Chin, a rape victim, in her account of her ordeal to Taipei city prosecutor Liu Cheng-wu (
"I can't take it anymore. I feel like I'm raped again and again every time I repeat the terrible things that happened to me."
According to Liu, Chin's feelings are often echoed by sexual assault victims when in the process of filing complaints against their perpetrators.
The new measures, which focus on streamlining the investigative process, have been implemented in Taipei City, Kaohsiung County and Hualien County on a trial run since Jan. 1. They call for coordination of social services personnel and medical professionals with the police and prosecutors in getting the complainants' statements.
Previously, perpetrators of sexual crimes were only tried when the victims were willing to file suits against them. But since Jan. 1 in the three trial areas, sexual assault has become an indictable crime and prosecutors now have total authority in deciding whether to pursue a case.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Minister of the Interior Chang Po-ya (張博雅) said it is particularly important to assure victims as much privacy as possible during interrogations and trials.
As a result, victims no longer have to repeat their statements separately to social workers, police, doctors and prosecutors, but rather make their statements at a joint meeting with those relevant to the case.
Chiang Hsing-hui (江幸慧), director of Taipei City's domestic violence and sexual assault prevention center, said that social workers would talk to victims as soon as sexual assault cases are reported to police and the victims will be consulted on the scheduling of interrogations.
The pre-interrogation consultation is meant to prevent the complainants from being questioned when they are physically and psychologically unable to, Chiang said.
Police stations, prosecutors' offices and hospitals in the three trial areas have also been required to set up a private room where sexual assault victims can make statements in a secure and comfortable atmosphere.
The statements are video and audiotaped, and then be presented to courts when the cases go to trial.
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