Tainan Mayor William Lai (賴清德) yesterday expressed remorse over the apparent suicide of a writer and alleged victim of sexual assault, saying that the city would improve its handling of such cases.
“[Her] misfortune has been hard on all of us. Tainan [where she grew up] is especially deep in sorrow,” Lai said of the death of the woman surnamed Lin (林), who died on Thursday last week aged 26 in an apparent suicide.
Her parents said they believed an incident that occurred eight or nine years ago — and not depression — was the main cause of their daughter’s suffering.
Lai said he has learned from the criticisms directed at the city over its handling of an investigation into a cram-school teacher accused of assaulting Lin while she was a student.
Lin’s parents on Friday spoke for the third time about the death of their daughter, issuing a statement alleging that three other students were assaulted by the teacher, with one student photographed nude against her will.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lin Chun-hsien (林俊憲) said he has been speaking with Lin’s father by telephone in recent days and that he hopes that prosecutors find whoever was responsible for Lin’s alleged assault.
Police urged the family to avoid issuing statements about the case, saying that any comments could have social repercussions and might affect its outcome.
One prosecutor who declined to be named said the lack of motivation shown by investigators has affected the family’s trust in the judicial system.
Additional reporting by Huang Wen-yu
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