Women rights
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The Conversation (2024-2-26): no presidential candidate in the recent election offered concrete plans for how to achieve gender equality in society ... candidates who chose women as their vice-presidential running mates appeared to do so as a political gesture aimed at attracting support from women, rather than displaying any real intent to advance gender equality in Taiwan.  Women issues were largely ignored.   theconversation.com/taiwan-election-2024-how-presidential-candidates-left-women-voters-unimpressed-223608

 

  Country Reports on Human Rights Practices  -  Taiwan , 2024-4-22  state.gov/reports/2023-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/taiwan/  :

n sexual assaults  NGOs and academic studies estimated the total number of sexual assaults was seven to 10 times higher than the number reported to police. Some abused women chose not to report incidents to police due to social pressure not to disgrace their families.

n discrimination  More than 60 percent of the respondents to a survey released in March by a media company on living conditions and expectations of Taiwanese women from 2020-2023 believed discrimination based on age, gender, race, and other factors, including bias against members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community, still occurred in their workplaces. Approximately 94 percent of the women respondents specified that age differences with colleagues and prejudice towards single women were key factors adding to workplace discrimination. According to official statistics, the median monthly income for women in 2022 was 84.2 percent that of men. 

n sexual harassment  Reports related to technology-facilitated gender-based violence continued to rise, five times higher than the same period in 2022Sexual harassment was common. The Ministry reported a 17 percent increase over the previous year...  high-profile sexual harassment cases involving prominent politicians, cultural figures, and others.  Several high-ranking members of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party resigned in connection with sexual harassment cases.

 

The Conversation (2023-12-21): (1) Young women in Taiwan tend to explain   their preference for pets over babies in terms of financial pressures, particularly the cost of housing.  marriage avoidance has become a marked phenomenon. (2) the problem is grounded in the Confucian cultural bedrock of the region. Family and society are rigidly patriarchal. Workplace organisation and wider societal structures are unfavourable to women. (3) Taiwanese live with an undercurrent of concern about the future of their country. If so,... a lack of security in geopolitical terms is informing decisions about whether or not to marry and have childrentheconversation.com/why-taiwans-falling-birth-rate-has-become-a-national-security-issue-219968

ABC Australia (2023-12-23): Taiwan's MeToo movement has put powerful men in the spotlight, but women are bearing the cost of speaking outTaiwan culture has historically dismissed victims and protected perpetrators.  In general, Taiwanese society tends to place blame on the victim when it comes to discussing sexual harassment or assault."msn.com/en-au/news/australia/taiwans-metoo-movement-has-put-powerful-men-in-the-spotlight-but-women-are-bearing-the-cost-of-speaking-out/ar-AA1lUQ9u  Kathleen Calderwood

MSN (2023-12-15): Taiwan's #MeToo movement is still unfolding Other than rousing a nationwide investigation and exposure of sexual harassment and assault crimes within Taiwanese politics, several celebrities have also been accused of sexual assault and harassment       msn.com/en-sg/entertainment/news/taiwan-s-metoo-movement-is-still-ongoing/ss-AA1lvRqR

Reuters (2023-8-2): Taiwan women freeze their eggs as 'insurance' in hopes of law change - it is only legal to use the eggs in a heterosexual marriage, which excludes unmarried women and same-sex married couples.   news.yahoo.com/taiwan-women-freeze-eggs-insurance-230444675.html

 

★ NDTV (India), 2023-11-16: Racism, Disinformation Cast Shadow On India-Taiwan Cooperation

 There was frenzy on social media about whether the safety of women in Taiwan would be endangered...what is often missed out is Taiwan's own crime rates. According to survey data from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, one in five women in Taiwan report having been in abusive relationships. Statistics reveal that a case of abuse occurs, on average, every five minutes in Taiwan, with 322 cases reported per day. The multitude of crimes against women and children in Taiwan highlight its problems with misogyny...  The sad reality is that many women across the globe sorely lack equal status and this manifests in crimes against women, unequal pay, workplace harassment, unfair burden of work at the workplace and so on. India, Taiwan are no different.   (brief)

 

   US Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released at 2023-3-20 (state.gov/reports/2022-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/taiwan/):

 A rise in the number of reports of child sexual exploitation cases from 1,060 in 2018 to 1,879 in 2021. NGOs raised concerns about online sexual exploitation of children: they reported sex offenders increasingly used cell phones, web cameras, live streaming, apps, and other new technologies to deceive and coerce underage girls and boys into sexual activity. The NGOs called for increased prosecutions and heavier penalties. Reporting of child sexual exploitation online to the Ministry of Health and Welfare increased steadily in recent years
 Many survivors did not report rape for fear of social stigmatization, and NGOs and academic studies estimated the total number of sexual assaults was seven to 10 times higher than the number reported to police. Some abused women chose not to report incidents to police due to social pressure not to disgrace their families.  Number of cases of sexual harassment 41 percent increase over the previous year.

 

#MeToo in Taiwan Taiwan really support human rights?

New York Times, 2023-7-27: our society remains patriarchal and hierarchical. Under Confucian values, women obey their fathers and their brothers and eventually their husbands. People are expected to respect and yield to their elders and superiors — in short, the powers that be... In a collectivist culture like ours, the burden of being nice and preserving group harmony falls on those with less power and authority nytimes.com/2023/07/27/opinion/taiwan-women-metoo.html 

 

Reuters, 2023-7-28: Despite Taiwan's reputation as a progressive bastion in a conservative region - the first place in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage...to confront a problem long shrouded in shame and silence.   victims of abuse often stay silent due to what experts say is a tradition of victim-blaming, cultural pressure, and unequal power relationships.   .reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/years-after-metoo-first-swept-world-taiwan-races-respond-2023-07-28/   Sarah Wu   

 

BBC, 2023-7-21: Much of the #MeToo focus is still on sexual harassment, and "large-scale exposure" of sexual assault is yet to happen, that can only happen with more resources legal and counselling support from the state.   the government must extend the statute of limitations for prosecuting sexual harassment cases, which is currently six months.   news.yahoo.com/metoo-charges-against-celebrities-shake-210949837.html   Grace Tsoi & Benny Lu

 

L.A. Times, 2023-7-26:  as #MeToo spread to Japan, South Korea and even mainland China, it failed to take root in Taiwan, despite the island's reputation for progressive attitudes on gender   news.yahoo.com/netflix-hit-facebook-flood-overdue-100051881.html   Stephanie Yang, David Shen

 

Bloomberg, 2023-7-13: "Our gender culture still hasn't caught up with the laws", said a DPP legislator , "Speaking up takes a lot of courage, because speaking up in this culture may lead to victim shaming." news.yahoo.com/taiwan-metoo-scandals-push-tsai-033310739.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall   Xiao Zibang and Betty Hou

 

NPR, 2023-7-3:  More than 100 accusations of sexual harassment and assault have rocked Taiwan... — showing the gap between laws meant to protect victims and their implementation.

 

AFP, 2023-7-7: Taiwan touts itself as one of the most progressive democracies in Asia, but the crescendoing wave of #MeToo cases shows gender inequality remains a deep-seated problem, rooted in a culture prone to victim-blaming.  "Sexual violence -- from domestic violence to sexual harassment -- is more common than people think news.yahoo.com/metoo-wave-sweeps-taiwan-long-041039148.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

 

New York Times, 2023-6-25: A torrent of sexual harassment accusations has prompted questions about the state of women’s rights on an island democracy ... entrenched sexism that leaves women vulnerable at work, and a culture that is quick to blame victims and cover up accusations against powerful men. nytimes.com/2023/06/25/world/asia/taiwan-harassment-metoo.html

 

Economist, 2023-6-22:  Taiwanese women who are abused convince themselves “that it’s no big deal”. A survey in 2021 found that 82% of women sexually harassed in the workplace did not make formal complaints.  Nearly half of those who kept quiet had “brushed it off as a joke”.  economist.com/culture/2023/06/22/a-tv-drama-about-taiwanese-politics-has-sparked-a-social-reckoning

 

CNN, 2023-6-10:  The fallout from the #MeToo revelations risks adding more uncertainty to the all-important presidential race. Taiwan, priding itself on gender equality, is facing its own reckoning over sexual harassment.   Most sexual harassment victims were told to "let it go" ... Such culture of self-sacrifice is deep rooted in Taiwan's political reality, where the "big picture" often comes above everything else.    edition.cnn.com/2023/06/10/asia/taiwan-metoo-netflix-wave-makers-intl-hnk/index.html
 

 The Guardian (UK), 2023-6-8: The belated #MeToo reckoning has exposed the deeply patriarchal norms that still govern Taiwanese society.  In 2021 Chen Chao-ju, a professor at National Taiwan University, noted that in Taiwan “#MeToo has become a symbol of anti-sexual violence activism, but it has yet to produce a crystallising effect and recharge the anti-sexual violence movement … victims in the dark and perpetrators enjoying impunity”. Prof Chen Mei-hua at National Sun Yat-sen University noted that while these accusations had played out in the court of public opinion, in formal legal proceedings they were unlikely to succeed. "... most women do not have any evidence or witnesses, It is almost impossible for victims to win the lawsuit.”.    theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/08/taiwan-ruling-party-rocked-sexual-harassment-claims-metoo AmyHawk

 

  Washington Post, 2023-6-7:  The #MeToo accusations have caused the DPP's favorability ratings to plummet just as Taiwan gears up for a tough election campaign. The ruling party risks losing to the nationalist Kuomintang.  people across Taiwan have now come forward with experiences of harassment by university professors, doctors, directors and baseball umpires. But the government has until now been slow to respond to reported cases of sexual harassment.  msn.com/en-us/news/world/hit-netflix-show-sparks-a-wave-of-metoo-allegations-in-taiwan/ar-AA1cefPH    Vic Chiang, Meaghan Tobin     Bloomberg, 2023-6-7: Taiwan president apologizes twice in week for #MeToo allegations.  Tsai Ing-wen: "We've also seen such cases are everywhere...",  harassment accusations against two of KMT lawmakers have also been in the news recently.

 

 Wall Street Journal, 2023-6-7: Sexual misconduct allegations roil Taiwan's U.S.-friendly ruling party wsj.com/articles/sexual-misconduct-allegations-roil-taiwans-u-s-friendly-ruling-party-5b0d8894 Joyu Wang  Wenxin Fan    (Axios, 2023-6-13: The sexual assault allegations could weaken its support, especially among younger voters who tend to care more about gender issues, per the Wall Street Journal)

 

 DW (Germany), 2023-6-13:  Taiwan's culture remains conservative, and chauvinism still exists in workplaces and politics. victims may be "judged" by the public for sharing details....they may not be treated justly, ...the existing mechanisms are inadequate, which prompts the victims to reveal their experiences online  dw.com/en/metoo-in-taiwan-exposes-a-hidden-culture-of-harassment/a-65903757  William Yang

 

 BBC (UK), 2023-6-15: There is no doubt a reckoning in motion, observers say, adding that it is a significant time in Taiwan for addressing gender and sexual abuse...Many are sceptical of promises for lasting change.  bbc.com/news/world-asia-65875474   Frances Mao and Benny Lu

 

 The China Project (New York based), 2023-6-8: Until now, Taiwan has not seen a #MeToo movement similar to that in the United States, Europe, or even China.  Victim blaming is still prevalent in Taiwanese society, discouraging victims from coming forward. 70% to 80% of respondents who said they had experienced sexual harassment in the workplace chose to remain silent.   thechinaproject.com/2023/06/08/taiwans-ruling-dpp-rocked-by-sexual-misconduct-allegations/  Jordyn Haime

 

 The Diplomat, 2023-6-14:  If both political parties in Taiwan see the issue solely as one to be seized for political ammunition, it is not likely that talk of reform or changing entrenched social attitudes will go anywhere   thediplomat.com/2023/06/taiwan-rocked-by-wave-of-sexual-harassment-assault-allegations/   Brian Hioe


 SCMP, 2023-6-11:  
NTU prof.  Tso Chen-dong: the DPP has greatly disappointed the public as ... referring to the party's pledges to promote gender equality and human rights.  DPP had long focused on LGBTQ equality, rather than women's rights. scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3223609/wave-metoo-cases-threatens-engulf-taiwans-ruling-democratic-progressive-party   Lawance Chung
 

 The Diplomat, 2023-6-2:  a number of the young candidates that the DPP announced ... praised the realism and accuracy of “Wave Makers”  ─   entrenched sexual harassment and violence in Taiwanese politics  thediplomat.com/2023/06/taiwans-2024-election-campaigns-see-early-stumbles/   Brian Hioe
 

 

Taiwan's  #MeToo
sexual harassment and bully become norm, the ruling party really support for gender equality?  or for propaganda Taiwan's image ?
 

Bloomberg , 2023-6-2 : Taiwan's ruling DPP publicly bowed and apologized for the handling of a series of  #MeToo sexual harassment complaints in recent days bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-06-02/taiwan-s-dpp-apologizes-in-metoo-case-as-tsai-backs-probe#xj4y7vzkg   straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/taiwan-s-dpp-apologises-in-metoo-case-as-president-tsai-backs-probe
  TaiwanPlus News, 2023-6-5: msn.com/en-us/news/world/dpp-apologizes-again-for-mishandling-sexual-harassment-allegations-taiwanplus-news/vi-AA1c8frZ United Daily, editorial,  2023-6-5 : The image of DPP collapses udn.com/news/story/7338/7212608?from=udn-catehotnews_ch2
United Daily, editorial,  2023-6-4 : sexual harassment and bully become the ruling DPP's norm, high-ranking officials' burying the case becomes a tacit understanding inside the party, that's why #MeToo stories come again and again udn.com/news/story/7338/7211152?from=udn_ch2_menu_v2_main_cate
China Times, editorial , 2023-6-3 : The immoral and corrupted DPP /   After taking office in 2016,  DPP soon indulged in black (Mofia gangs), gold (being rotten), and yellow (porn/womanizing).  "soaking" in such a bad environment for a long time, how can the DPP staffs have healthy sexual concepts and behaviors ? how can DPP high-ranking officials set a good example for their subordinate?  (上梁歪下梁不正) chinatimes.com/opinion/20230602004779-262101?chdtv
United Daily, editorial, 2023-6-1 : Holding high the banner of Modern women, DPPs actually are outdated Chauvinisme, and are accomplices of patriarchy.  Facing the incident of sexual harassment, the DPP has no empathy, but indifference; no professionalism, but suppression. udn.com/news/story/11091/7206111?from=udn_ch2cate6643sub11091_pulldownmenu_v2  A series of structural problems of sexual harassment highlights that "chauvinism is the DNA of the DPP,  such as the DPP recruiting 李正皓 who is suspected of sneaking photo controversy to run for the law maker campaign, former Minister of Health and Welfare 陳時中 having his dirty hand on a married woman , the DPP's married legislator 王定宇 having an affair,  丁允恭, the former spokesman of the Presidential Office having a sexual harassment incident, DPP legislator 高嘉瑜's domestic violence incident, the director of the DPP's women's department burying a sexual harassment case , etc.  ...... udn.com/news/story/11091/7205177?from=udn_ch2cate6643sub11091_pulldownmenu_v2
China Times, editorial, 2023-6-4 : #MeToo over and over again highlights the deepest issue  is DPP completely losing the ability for self-reflection, and failing to tell right from wrong, good from evil  chinatimes.com/opinion/20230603002631-262101?chdtv
 

 

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pic.: The websites group was ranked No.1
by "Taiwanese women rights" at 2021-6-17, 6-29-2019 on US Bing,  " women's rights in Taiwan"
on US Bing, 11-28-2018

 

 

 

pic.: The websites group was ranked top 2
by "Taiwanese women rights"
on Yahoo at 6-29-2019 and 7-9-2019 

 

 

 

pic. : The websites group was ranked No.2 by "Taiwan women rights"  on MetaGER of Europe, at 10-25-2019

 

 

 

pic.: The websites group was ranked No.1 " Taiwan women's rights"  on US Bing  at 6-29-2019

 

 

 

 

    

pic. left: The websites group was ranked No.2 by "Taiwanese women rights"  on Yandex of Russia, at 10-25-2019

pic. right: The websites group was ranked No.2 by "Taiwan women rights"   on Yandex of Russia,  at 10-25-2019

 

 

 

 

pic.: The websites group was ranked No.1
by "Taiwanese women rights" at 6-29-2019 on Yahoo Taiwan

 

 

 

 

pic. : The websites group was ranked No.2 by "Taiwan women rights"   on Yippy (IBM),  at 10-25-2019

 

 

 

 

pic.: The websites group was ranked top 2
by "Taiwan women rights"
on US Yahoo at  7-9-2019 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

BBC, 5-17-2019: Taiwan gay marriage: Parliament became the first in Asia to legalise same sex unions  United Daily <聯合報> editorial  5-18-2019: This "gender equality" should reminds us of so many discriminations everywhere in Taiwan - including gender discrimination, occupational discrimination, classism, etc ...  <Apple Daily>, 2-22-2019: Taiwan Executive Yuan passed a 'special law' to protect same-sex marriage. 

 

TIME, 11-24-2018 (http://time.com/5462767/taiwan-same-sex-marriage-referendum/)

       Taiwan Votes Against Same-Sex Marriage in Referendum  

        Amnesty International told the government it needs to “deliver equality and dignity.”

       “This result is a bitter blow and a step backwards for human rights in Taiwan,” ...

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pic.: The websites group was ranked No.1 by "Taiwanese women rights" at 6-30-2019, No.1 " Taiwan women's rights" on US Bing, 11-28-2018

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

pic.: The websites group was ranked No.1 by " Taiwan women's rights" on Yahoo (Taiwan), 11-28-2018

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

pic.: The websites group was
ranked top 2
by "Taiwan women rights" at 6-30-2019,  " women's rights in Taiwan"
on US Bing, 11-28-2018

 

 

 

 

 

 

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★  <The United Daily 聯合報>,  2-25-2017
      
Taiwanese female employee need to work 52 days more to earn the amount of male employee's anneal salary...  


 


This webpage was ranked No. 2 on  Google,
 by keywords :  "women rights in Taiwan", or "women's rights in Taiwan" or "Taiwanese women rights",
  test at  5-26-2017.

 

☉☉

 



ranking Google No.2 by keywords in English, "women's rights in Taiwan" or
"Taiwanese women rights" etc,  at May 20, 2017, Jan. 27, 2015, No.2 at Aug. 29,
2014, Dec. 4, 2012, Oct. 10, 2011, Nov. 3, 2010


 

 For precise meanings pls refer to Chinese version article

 

                       

    


New 2015 ! this site's ranking world No.1 on Yahoo (1.7.2015), No. 2 on google (1.11.2015)

ranking No.1 by Chinese keyword "Taiwan women's rights" on Google, tests at Jan. 27, 2015, Sept. 9~ 13, 2014, Jan. 28, 2012,
Google No.1 & No. 2 by Chinese keyword "Women's rights in Taiwan",  at Feb. 14, 2011 &  Oct. 29, 2010
 

Scholars' studies in Taiwanese women's rights ―  family (marriage) violence , written in Chinese as below :

女權

 

學術文獻

在父權價值觀裡,丈夫對妻子的掌控是攸關男人面子的事 (Archer & Lloyd, 2004)。

陳芬苓(2001)指出,國家機器中的警察機構和司法體系,對於女性受暴力行為仍反應一種男性主流的價值觀。

女權運動試圖改造父權體制在公╱私領域的劃分上,婦女團體積極提倡救援雛妓,打擊家庭暴力,爭取兩性工作平等,提倡兩性平等教育,主張政治改革,建立家內平權和倡議身體自主等,將觸角由性騷擾、性侵犯、婚姻暴力、情慾自主等私領域問題,轉化成了公共論述,意圖影響政府的婦女政策,以確實保障婦女權益(傅立葉,2002;張玨,2004;胡藹若,2004)。

婚姻暴力與文化有關 :  朱柔若、吳柳嬌(2005)認為,受暴婦女的存在,是性別權力結構失衡所產生的社會問題。

張晉芬(2003)指出,家庭暴力既是性別權力不平等的結果,也反映出男人將將女人當成家產看待的普遍心態,家庭暴力事件並 非個別家庭或個別男性的問題或行為,而是男尊女卑及女性為男性附屬品下的產物。

由以上的文獻中可看出,婚姻暴力是性別與權力的角力過程,是社會問題而非個人問題。
frm: <臺灣女權論述發展的考察- 以婚姻暴力為例>  高惠珠/南華大學社會所碩   Dec. 15 2006