CONTROL YUAN, TAIWAN | “Your Voice Plants the Seeds of Change” – Control Yuan NHRC Releases Systematic Inquiry Report on Child and Youth Sexual Abuse Cases

On 8 January 2025, the Control Yuan National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) held a press conference to release its special report, “Your Voice Plants the Seeds of Change - Systematic Inquiry Report on Sexual Abuse in Schools and Placement Institutions.” The investigation results were jointly announced by supervising committee members Chu-Fang Chang, Chiu-Chin Tien, and Li-Chiung Su. This marks the NHRC’s first systemic inquiry report since its establishment on 1 August 2020, covering 74 cases, with two-thirds of interviewees being sexual abuse victims and one-third being significant others of victims. The report, based on interviews, focuses on child and youth sexual abuse issues, emphasizing details to be noted in prevention, identification, reporting, and handling stages, aiming to raise social awareness of children’s voices and feelings while building an environment of support and trust for children and youth.

Vice Chairperson Yu-Ling Wang noted that according to Ministry of Health and Welfare data, there were 5,155 victims (about 54.76%) under 18 years old in reported sexual abuse cases in 2023, a figure that cannot be ignored. The Vice Chairperson particularly thanked all interviewees for sharing their experiences or those of people close to them, enabling more victim-friendly changes in government and society, and contributing to exposing the structural roots of sexual abuse issues.

Committee Member Li-Chiung Su further presented the following recommendations after the investigation:

1. Establish a victim support environment, implement CRC contents, and protect children’s rights to expression and bodily autonomy to prevent sexual abuse;

2. Strengthen gender equality education, prioritizing enhancement of educators’ gender sensitivity;

3. Establish a friendly and safe campus environment and ethical boundaries between teachers and students;

4. Establish investigative independence, strengthen mechanisms for handling gender equity cases, and avoid secondary trauma during the handling process;

5. Establish a support system for case handlers and extend whistleblower protection and prosecution period limitations.

The complete systematic inquiry report is available on a dedicated webpage, with the public invited to gain a deeper understanding and participate in creating change, ensuring every child has a loving and safe environment for growth.

Source: The Control Yuan, Taiwan