Taiwan Court Acquits Instructor in 10-Year-Old Assault Case Amid #MeToo Claims

A former instructor at a public high school in Tainan was acquitted of indecent assault charges dating back a decade. The female student reported the incident in 2023, spurred by the #MeToo movement. However, the court found insufficient objective evidence and noted inconsistencies in her account of the events.

Prosecutors alleged that in August 2014, the instructor, identified as Mr. Chiu, forcibly pulled the student's hand to touch his genitals and also touched her chest over her clothing at his Tainan residence. The student's testimony varied; she initially stated in a school's gender equality investigation that "clothes were not removed," later changing it during police questioning to "clothes were pulled slightly." In court, she admitted her memory was hazy after nearly 10 years and could not provide specific details.

Mr. Chiu admitted to meeting the student outside but vehemently denied the assault, stating he never took her to his residence. The student also accused him of using a fake account, "Bill Li," to call and beg for mercy during the investigation. However, investigators found no record of this account on Mr. Chiu's phone. The student acknowledged that the call only involved a plea to "let him go" and did not mention the 10-year-old incident, which the court deemed insufficient to corroborate the alleged crime.

The key evidence involved recovered communication records from July to August 2014. These exchanges showed a warm interaction between Mr. Chiu and the student, including frequent messages calling each other "baby" and expressing affection. The student even proactively suggested meeting and noted her inability to chat as freely after her second year of high school. The judge considered the intimate nature of their relationship, which seemed inconsistent with an assault scenario. Citing the more than 10 years that had passed, the court found the student's statements inconsistent and lacking objective supporting evidence. A fellow instructor testified that the student's behavior at school appeared normal. Based on the principle of presumed innocence, the court ruled Mr. Chiu not guilty due to insufficient evidence to form a guilty conviction. The verdict is subject to appeal.