Women's groups call for stricter child sexual abuse image penalties

Taipei, April 9 (CNA) Women's groups have called for increased penalties for possession of child sexual abuse images after television presenter Mickey Huang (黃子佼) escaped prosecution by paying an NT$1.2 million fine.

As part of a deferred prosecution deal agreed on April 4, Huang was ordered to pay a fine and write an apology letter for buying videos of sexually explicit involving minors.

The perceived leniency of Huang's punishment has sparked calls for reform, particularly after an anonymous accuser came forward on Sunday to say that the television presenter raped her when she was a 17-year-old.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Women In Digital Initiative called on lawmakers to increase penalties for possession of images of child sexual abuse, taking into account factors such as the quantity of illegal sexual images of minors in possession, the perpetrators' backgrounds, the age of the victims, and the severity of the content of the sexual images.

This initiative aims to effectively curb the rise in illegal trading of sexual images and cases of digital sexual violence, the organization said.

Meanwhile, the Garden of Hope Foundation said on social media Monday evening that the fine imposed on Huang under the deferred prosecution agreement fails to effectively address child protection and combat the exploitation of minors through sexual images.

The organization said that personal gratification should never involve minors, advocating for a zero-tolerance approach to child exploitation.

Political parties have also proposed amendments to the laws following this case.

Huang Shan-shan (黃珊珊), deputy head of the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) caucus, said at a press conference on Tuesday that the TPP proposed increasing penalties for perpetrators exploiting children.

Huang noted that the TPP aims to establish different sentencing standards based on factors such as the age of the victim, the explicitness of the content, the degree of brutality, and the perpetrator's background.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Wang Shih-chien (王世堅) also mentioned that he would propose amending the Child and Youth Sexual Exploitation Prevention Act to increase the penalty to three-five years of imprisonment.

The current law stipulates that holders of such videos would receive a maximum jail term of one year or face a fine ranging from NT$30,000 (US$934.6) to NT$300,000.

In addition, New Power Party Chairperson Claire Wang (王婉諭) urged the establishment of a competent agency to address digital sexual crimes, aiming to curb the dissemination patterns of overseas platforms.

In response, Deputy Health Minister Lee Li-feng (李麗芬) said in an interview with CNA on Monday that if lawmakers propose relevant amendments, the health ministry will carefully consider them and discuss specific directions for legislative changes based on the proposed content.

Lee added that regarding the possession of sexually explicit videos involving minors, the government increased relevant penalties in last year's amendments by imposing criminal liability for first-time offenders, instead of only issuing administrative penalties.

Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) also said on Monday that the government has "zero tolerance" for the exploitation of children.

He said that following comprehensive amendments to the three relevant laws regarding gender equality and to enhance reporting mechanisms, relevant agencies will continue to complete enforcement revisions in accordance with these changes.

Chen added that if sexual images remain online without prompt removal, fines ranging from NT$60,000 to NT$600,000 will be imposed, and in cases where overseas operators disregard these regulations, direct internet bans may be implemented as punitive measures, Chen said.

A criminal investigation into Huang was first opened in the summer of 2023 after online personality Zofia publicly accused the entertainer of forcibly kissing her and taking nude photographs when she was 17 without her consent a decade earlier.

In August 2023, Huang was arrested but released on bail of NT$350,000 and barred from leaving Taiwan.

During raids on Huang's residence and studio, police seized seven sexually explicit videos involving minors, which the presenter had purchased online between Aug. 8, 2017, and July 8, 2023.

After being offered a deferred prosecution agreement, Huang admitted to violating the Child and Youth Sexual Exploitation Prevention Act and agreed to pay a NT$1.2 million fine within six months as well as write an apology letter within three months.

Prosecutors, however, declined to indict Huang for molestation and other charges, citing insufficient evidence and noting that he had reached settlements with his accusers.