The Judicial Reform Foundation yesterday urged the judiciary to consider countermeasures against Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) and announced that it would publish a self-help manual for those victimized for supporting the #MeToo movement.
People harassed by the judiciary should be protected by the system instead of relying on the kindness or the gender consciousness of the judiciary worker working on the case, foundation deputy director-general Lee Ming-ju (李明洳) told a news conference in Taipei.
The foundation urged the judiciary to be cautious in handling SLAPP cases, as they might have a chilling effect on whistle-blowers or supporters of the #MeToo movement.
Photo: CNA
Lee said the foundation is aware that many victims lack access to adequate resources and do not know what to do in such events.
The foundation’s manual, which it is working on, is to systematically present the most recent laws, rulings, procedural regulations and other must-know information, she said.
The foundation hopes that all MeToo movement supporters who have become victimized by SLAPP cases would benefit from the manual’s information, Lee said.
MeToo victim Huang Chi-yu (黃綺禹) said that when she submitted a complaint to the Taipei Bar Association and urged the association to discipline lawyer Lee Huai-nung (李懷農), who she said had harassed her, Lee instead sued her for defamation.
Huang said that while the case has not seen a ruling yet, she was worried that the outcome would not be in her favor.
Lawyer Chen Yu-hsin (陳又新) said that those accused of sexual harassment often employ SLAPP tactics, and while the strategy might not work, it places undue mental stress on their accusers.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Fan Yun (范雲) said it is harder to change social and cultural norms than to amend laws.
She vowed to meet with representatives from unions representing six vocations and urge them to establish proper channels through which victims can complain about harassment and receive aid.
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