The legislature passed an amendment to the Sexual Assault Crime Prevention Act (性侵害犯罪防治法) yesterday that expands the ban on releasing information about the victims of sex crimes.
Existing restrictions prohibit publications and online and traditional media outlets from releasing a sexual assault victim’s name or information that could allow people to identify them.
The amendment to the act’s Article 13 extends the prohibition to the general population.
The fine on media outlets, publishers and online media for breaking the law remains at NT$60,000 after the amendment, while individuals who violate the law are to face a fine ranging from NT$20,000 to NT$100,000.
The amendment was proposed after information about victims in high-profile sexual assault cases — including the case of Justin Lee (李宗瑞), who was convicted of raping 20 women — was spread and circulated by Internet users and media outlets, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said.
Exceptions to the ban can be made when victims give their consent or when prosecutors or judges deem the release of such information necessary.
A newly added article to the act, Article 15-1, enhances the protection of victims who are below the age of consent or mentally disabled by assigning experts to assist in questioning and as witnesses in court proceedings, the ministry said.
In addition, Article 15-1 authorizes the use of one-way mirrors, video conferencing or other means of questioning or court proceedings to protect such victims.
Tropical Storm Nari is not a threat to Taiwan, based on its positioning and trajectory, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Nari has strengthened from a tropical depression that was positioned south of Japan, it said. The eye of the storm is about 2,100km east of Taipei, with a north-northeast trajectory moving toward the eastern seaboard of Japan, CWA data showed. Based on its current path, the storm would not affect Taiwan, the agency said.
The Taipei Department of Health’s latest inspection of fresh fruit and vegetables sold in local markets revealed a 25 percent failure rate, with most contraventions involving excessive pesticide residues, while two durians were also found to contain heavy metal cadmium at levels exceeding safety limits. Health Food and Drug Division Director Lin Kuan-chen (林冠蓁) yesterday said the agency routinely conducts inspections of fresh produce sold at traditional markets, supermarkets, hypermarkets, retail outlets and restaurants, testing for pesticide residues and other harmful substances. In its most recent inspection, conducted in May, the department randomly collected 52 samples from various locations, with testing showing
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