National Taiwan University neglected to protect sexual harassment victims
A recent investigation by the Control Yuan, Taiwan's government auditing body, has revealed that National Taiwan University (NTU) inadequately protected students from sexual harassment and that some students faced adverse consequences after reporting incidents.
Investigation Findings
Incidents of Sexual Harassment: The investigation uncovered multiple incidents of sexual harassment at NTU, including cases involving an associate professor and a dormitory supervisor.
Specific Cases:
Dormitory Supervisor: In September 2022, an NTU dormitory supervisor was charged with sexually assaulting a student. The investigation found that NTU had been aware of a previous sexual harassment allegation involving the same supervisor and student for a month before charges were filed. NTU failed to implement measures to minimize contact between the supervisor and the student and handled the incident with insufficient speed and care.
Thesis Supervisor: A student who filed a sexual harassment complaint against their thesis supervisor was forced to rewrite their entire thesis because the intellectual property rights belonged to the accused professor. This case significantly affected the student's education, and NTU failed to protect the student from retaliation as a result of their complaint.
Institutional Failures:
Lack of Preventive Measures: The investigation highlighted that NTU did not establish appropriate codes of conduct or training programs that could have prevented such incidents.
Insufficient Protection: NTU was found to have failed in protecting students from the negative repercussions of reporting sexual harassment, failing to safeguard their interests adequately.
Control Yuan's Criticism
Control Yuan Members Wang Yu-ling, Chi Hui-jung, and Lin Yu-jung conducted the investigation and issued a press release detailing their findings. They criticized NTU for its serious oversights and lack of adequate response to sexual harassment allegations, emphasizing the university's responsibility to protect its students and create a safe environment.
The investigation by the Control Yuan underscores significant failings in NTU's handling of sexual harassment cases and calls for the university to implement more robust measures to protect students and prevent such incidents in the future. The report serves as a wake-up call for NTU to address these issues promptly and effectively to ensure the safety and well-being of its student body.
