Man loses US study opportunity after forcibly kissing, groping woman; gets suspended sentence on appeal

A man in Taipei has received a two-year suspended sentence for forcibly kissing and groping a female acquaintance during a date at a U2 cinema. The incident, which took place in a private movie booth, saw the man ignore the woman's rejections as he proceeded to kiss and touch her. The pair had met through a dating app, and this was their second date. The woman reported that the man kissed her and touched her through her clothes, and even attempted to reach inside her clothing, despite her clear attempts to stop him. She stated she repeatedly refused his advances and tried to push him away. The man initially claimed their interaction was consensual, citing their ambiguous relationship and the private setting of the cinema booth. He argued that the woman's subsequent actions, including watching the movie with him and leaving together, were inconsistent with someone who had been sexually assaulted. However, the court emphasized the principle of sexual consent, stating that any sexual act requires clear agreement. The court found that even in an ambiguous or dating context, intimacy does not imply consent to kissing or groping. The man was initially sentenced to six months in prison, but appealed the sentence. In the appeal, he admitted guilt and reached a settlement with the victim. The High Court upheld the original sentence but granted a two-year suspended sentence, taking into account his status as a first-time offender and his remorse. The court noted that the man's actions, while serious, did not meet the threshold for a sentence reduction based on extreme pity, but his admission of guilt and settlement with the victim were considered. The case highlights the importance of explicit consent in all intimate interactions.