The Hsinchu District Prosecutors’ Office on Sunday dropped a charge of sexual assault against a man surnamed Hsu (許) due to inconsistencies in the testimony of the alleged victim, identified by the pseudonym Hsiao Mei (小美).
Hsiao Mei, 29, had filed a criminal complaint against Hsu — whom she met through a dating app — after allegedly being raped twice in March, the first time at a motel and the second a week later at a hair salon where she works, the office said about its decision to not prosecute.
Hsu disputed Hsiao Mei’s version of events and claimed he had consensual sexual intercourse with her on both occasions, it said.
After reviewing a log of their conversations on the chat app Line, investigators found no reference to the offenses, it added.
However, the log showed that Hsiao Mei had been eager to pursue the relationship until she discovered that Hsu was married, with her messages to him becoming increasingly upset after that point, the office said.
The veracity of Hsiao Mei’s claims were called into doubt, as she filed the criminal complaint only after she discovered Hsu’s marital status and communications between the two were terminated, it said.
As Hsiao Mei’s claim that she did not call for help or resisted does not appear reasonable — as she had multiple opportunities to do both — the office said it declined to indict Hsu on a sexual assault charge.
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