Sat, Mar 21, 2009 page2

• Activists urge action over abuse

  SEXUAL VIOLATION Rights groups called for better sex education and teaching children how to say 'no' in the face of rising incidents of reported sexual abuse

  • By Loa Iok-sin / STAFF REPORTER
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  Women's rights activists yesterday urged the government and schools to take steps to prevent sexual abuse in the wake of a report showing schools topping the list of public places where abuse had taken place.

  Figures released by the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assaults Prevention Committee at the end of last month showed that among the reported cases of sexual abuse in public places last year, 278 occurred in junior or senior high schools, 164 “on the roadside” and 107 in “entertainment places” such as bars and karaokes.

  As for sexual abuse taking place in private places, more than 2,000 occured in the violators' homes, while about 1,700 took place at the victims' home.

  Garden of Hope Foundation executive director Chi Hui-jung (紀惠容) said she wasn't surprised by the figures.

  “Based on our long-term studies, about 80 percent of sex crime victims were under 18 years old. Among the victims, more than 80 percent were violated by acquaintances, and about half of these acquaintances were friends, neighbors or teachers,” she said.

  However, Chi said the high number of reported cases was not necessarily a negative sign, “because it means that more and more people are willing to expose such cases,” adding that “traditionally, people were unwilling to report such cases because of social and cultural pressure.”

  “Minors under the age of 18 are more likely to become victims because they're in an unequal power relationship when faced with violators who are older and sometimes have more authority over the victims,” Chi said.

  Education authorities and schools should start teaching youngsters to say “no” from childhood, she said.

  “Our children and teenagers need to know that their bodies are theirs, no one — no matter who he or she is — has the right to touch their bodies if they don't feel comfortable about it,” Chi said, adding that adults also have to be educated to respect other people's bodies.

  Modern Women's Foundation executive director Yao Shu-wen (姚淑文) had a differing view on the reported figures.

  “Many of the ‘sex crimes’ that occurred in schools are actually sex between consenting minors, which are counted as sexual abuse, because the law says it is a crime to have sex with a minor under whatever circumstances,” she said.

  “But I do think we need to offer our children better sex education,” she said.
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