The Council of Grand Justices ruling yesterday that adultery as a crime is unconstitutional drew praise from some women’s rights groups, who called it a “milestone for the progress of Taiwan’s Constitution and gender justice,” but others said the decision would only result in more adultery.
After the council issued Constitutional Interpretation No. 791 at 4pm, several groups gathered outside the Judicial Yuan in support of the decision, including the Awakening Foundation, the Taipei Women’s Rescue Foundation and the Taiwan Gender Equality Education Association.
In a press release, the Awakening Foundation said that the ruling protects a person’s sexual autonomy, privacy and dignity from being compromised in a marriage.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
The interpretation shows that the council took the evolving definitions of an intimate relationship, as well as diversity in modern marriages, into consideration, it said.
The ruling could be a blow to victims of adultery who seek justice by invoking the Criminal Code, but criminal punishment should not be the answer, as it cannot force a person to remain in a marriage against their wishes, the statement said.
Decriminalizing adultery is not tantamount to agreeing with adultery, it added.
Since a marriage starts from the Civil Code, people should only invoke the code in the face of marital disputes, and focus on constructive solutions, such as the distribution of wealth and childcare if a couple chooses to divorce, or counseling should they wish to remain together, it said.
“Hopefully, decriminalizing adultery and allowing marital affairs be dealt with solely by the Civil Code would allow people to handle emotional lows related to marriage in a healthier way,” the foundation said.
Opposition groups said that the council’s decision values sexual autonomy more than marriage and family, calling the interpretation “outrageous, insane and not in line with public opinion.”
Coalition for the Happiness of our Next Generation president Tseng Hsien-ying (曾獻瑩) said that decriminalizing adultery would fuel adultery and create “a world full of adulterers.”
Treating adultery as a crime has preventive effects and helps uphold family values, as well as protect disadvantaged women and children, Tseng said.
Without the support of the Criminal Code, people betrayed by their partners would only be more disadvantaged, as they have fewer resources to claim compensation, he added.
Mothers Shield Alliance deputy secretary-general Shan Hsin-ai (單信愛) said that many mothers would shed tears of sorrow upon hearing the ruling, as it deprives them of the protections afforded by the Criminal Code, and “all the sacrifices and efforts they make for the family could be for nothing.”
The council’s ruling could make women lose faith in marriage and distort young people’s values of marriage, as they might think that they can “cheat with as many people as they want if they have money.”
Treating adultery as a crime helps keep families on track and serves the public interest well, Shan said, adding that the government should introduce complementary measures to safeguard the rights of women.
A domestically developed “suicide drone,” also known as a loitering munition, would be tested and evaluated in July, and could enter mass production next year, Taiwan’s weapons developer said on Wednesday. The yet-to-be-named drone was among nine drone models unveiled by the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) on Tuesday. The drone has been dubbed the “Taiwanese switchblade” by Chinese-language media, due to its similarity to the US-made AeroVironment Switchblade 300, which has been used by Ukraine in counterattacks during Russia’s invasion. It has a range of more than 10km, a flight time of more than 15 minutes, and an electro-optical
WORKING UP AN APPETITE: Sales at the Rueifong Night Market surged 20 to 30 percent, while seats at Liouhe Night Market were packed until 1am, market officials said South Korean pop band Blackpink’s concerts over the weekend in Kaohsiung helped draw large crowds to local night markets, the Kaohsiung City Government said yesterday. The two concerts on Saturday and Sunday at Kaohsiung National Stadium drew more than 90,000 people. The city government offered NT$50 vouchers to spend locally to concertgoers who showed their ticket stubs. Liouhe Night Market (六合夜市) management committee head Chuang Chi-chang (莊其章) said that crowds over the weekend surged at about 10pm and the market remained packed until 1:30am. “Almost all the seats were filled,” Chuang said. Night market stall owners had stocked up in expectation of an increased number
OFFLINE: People who do not wish to register can get the money from select ATMs using their bank card, ID number and National Health Insurance card number Online registration for NT$6,000 (US$196.32) cash payments drawn from last year’s tax surplus is to open today for eligible people whose national ID or permanent residency number ends in either a zero or a one, the Ministry of Finance said on Monday. Officials from the ministry revealed which days Taiwanese and eligible foreigners would be able to register for the cash payments at a joint news conference with the Ministry of Digital Affairs. Online registration is to open tomorrow for those whose number ends in a two or three; on Friday for those that end in a four or five: on Saturday
The Taipei City Government on Wednesday introduced of a series of tourism promotions, including free sightseeing bus tours and hotel discounts, in a bid to boost the number of international visitors. From now until June 30, 10,000 free Taipei Sightseeing Bus tickets are to be made available to travelers who stay in designated hotels for two nights, cruise passengers and European visitors transiting for more than 15 hours, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said. Eligible tourists can ask for the free four-hour unlimited ride bus tickets by presenting their passports at the hotels they stay in or from the
RSS