The recent Chu Mei-feng (
Last week, the Gender Sexuality Rights Association and other human-rights activists organized a press conference to promote public awareness about the decriminalization of adultery, arguing that women are victimized by sex scandals.
Wang Ping (王蘋), secretary-general of the association, said that the traditional Chinese patriarchy invented the concept of adultery.
"The adultery law is unfair to women," Wang said. "It takes two people to engage in sex -- both a man and a woman. If it is not a rape case, then it will mean that both parties agreed to have sex. As a result, adultery is an act in which both parties are responsible. However, in a patriarchal country when adultery accusations are made, people usually blame women. Men are forgiven. That's why I said it's not fair. Patriarchal thought will only restrict the freedom of women."
Wang noted that "adultery" has been criminalized by law.
"And a person who violates Article 239 of the Criminal Code can be sentenced to up to one year in prison. This is ridiculous because the Criminal Code is supposed to be composed of laws that protect people from crimes that cause physical harm.
"However, adultery doesn't hurt people physically. It hurts people emotionally instead. It is not a crime. It is improper behavior. As a result, women's groups think that adultery should not be included in the Criminal Code."
Wang also said that women were always the victims in adultery cases.
"In Japan, unfair treatment toward women in adultery cases is worse," she said.
According to Wang, males are generally found innocent while women are frequently convicted in Japanese adultery cases.
"They think it is a woman's problem if she agrees to consentual sex with married men."
In Taiwan, according to Article 239 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, a wife or husband can drop the charges against her or his spouse.
"However, if a case is about the affair of a husband with another woman and the wife wants to drop the charges against her husband, then inevitably the two women will argue with one another in the courtroom," Wang said.
On the other hand, if the case is about the affair of a married woman with another man, Taiwanese men usually will not forgive their wives and will ask their lawyers to proceed with the suit. Then the woman will become a defendant at the trial.
"Why are married men allowed to seduce other women but married women are not? That is why I said that women are always the victims in these kinds of cases," Wang said.
Wang said that the Criminal Code cannot guarantee the stability of a marital relationship and it will only increase women's frustration and hopelessness.
"If a person falls in love with someone else, you cannot force a person to stay with her spouse because it is against human rights," she said.
"According to our experience, women usually have to hire private detectives to collect evidence of their husbands' affairs. Unfortunately, private detectives often attempt to extort money from these women. Under the current circumstances, the women will be hurt again. Moreover, private detectives collecting evidence may violate human rights and privacy as well."
"Also, our divorce laws and related regulations of the Civil Code should be amended so that men and women will be equally protected under the law even if charges stem from someone's desire to divorce his or her spouse," she said.
Kenneth Chiu (
"A third party or the law will never have the right to regulate an individual's sex life," he said.
Lawyer Jennifer Wang (
She said that line of thinking ignores men's ability to make their own decisions.
"Adultery is a consentual relationship between a man and a woman even if they know their actions are improper. As a result, men should also be held accountable for their actions. But, it shouldn't be a crime."
A judge of the Taipei District Court who wished to remain anonymous said that he does not think it's a good idea to decriminalize adultery.
"Once it's not illegal anymore, then there won't be any laws to regulate a married couple's fidelity. And marriage will become meaningless," he said. "What will be the purpose of getting married then?"
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it expected to issue a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-Wong tomorrow, which it said would possibly make landfall near central Taiwan. As of 2am yesterday, Fung-Wong was about 1,760km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving west-northwest at 26kph. It is forecast to reach Luzon in the northern Philippines by tomorrow, the CWA said. After entering the South China Sea, Typhoon Fung-Wong is likely to turn northward toward Taiwan, CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張峻堯) said, adding that it would likely make landfall near central Taiwan. The CWA expects to issue a land
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it is expected to issue a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-wong this afternoon and a land warning tomorrow. As of 1pm, the storm was about 1,070km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, and was moving west-northwest at 28 to 32kph, according to CWA data. The storm had a radius of 250km, with maximum sustained winds of 173kph and gusts reaching 209kph, the CWA added. The storm is forecast to pass near Luzon in the Philippines before entering the South China Sea and potentially turning northward toward Taiwan, the CWA said. CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張峻堯) said
PREPARATION: Ferry lines and flights were canceled ahead of only the second storm to hit the nation in November, while many areas canceled classes and work Authorities yesterday evacuated more than 3,000 people ahead of approaching Tropical Storm Fung-wong, which is expected to make landfall between Kaohsiung and Pingtung County this evening. Fung-wong was yesterday morning downgraded from a typhoon to a tropical storm as it approached the nation’s southwest coast, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, as it issued a land alert for the storm. The alert applies to residents in Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung and Taitung counties, and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春). As of press time last night, Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Yilan, Miaoli, Changhua, Yunlin, Pingtung and Penghu counties, as well as Chiayi city and county had
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday issued a sea alert for Typhoon Fung-wong (鳳凰) as it threatened vessels operating in waters off the Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙群島), the Bashi Channel and south of the Taiwan Strait. A land alert is expected to be announced some time between late last night and early this morning, the CWA said. As of press time last night, Taoyuan, as well as Yilan, Hualien and Penghu counties had declared today a typhoon day, canceling work and classes. Except for a few select districts in Taipei and New Taipei City, all other areas and city
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