Accused of 'I want to lick,' man claims agreement, not harassment

A man in Changhua, Taiwan, faced accusations of stalking and harassment from his ex-wife, stemming from a "sexual agreement" stipulated in their divorce. The agreement reportedly allowed for sexual relations if either party had a "sexual need." However, the ex-wife alleged that the man persistently monitored her whereabouts and sent sexually suggestive messages, including "I want to lick" and "let's finish quickly," along with frequent phone calls.

The man was accused of harassing her between July 7 and August 2 of the previous year through calls, messages, and driving by her location. He defended himself by stating he was trying to contact their son and that his ex-wife obstructed his communication. Regarding the message "I want to lick," he claimed it was a voice input error for "I want to sleep." He also argued that the phrase "let's finish quickly" was based on their post-divorce agreement and her own past requests for quick encounters.

Prosecutors reviewed the case and found that the man's calls to see his child were reasonable, given their shared custody arrangement. While acknowledging the sexual nature of some messages was inappropriate, they noted that these originated from a prior agreement. Crucially, the man ceased his persistent harassment after his ex-wife clearly rejected his advances. Therefore, the court determined that his actions did not constitute repeated, non-consensual behavior related to sex or gender that would cause fear or affect her daily life, thus not meeting the threshold for stalking and harassment charges.

The case highlights the complexities arising from post-divorce agreements concerning sexual relations and the legal interpretation of harassment when prior consent or context is involved. The prosecutor's decision emphasized the lack of repeated, unwanted conduct after the victim's explicit refusal, which is a key element in defining stalking and harassment offenses.