TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has been fined NT$900,000 (US$29,000) by the Taipei labor department for allowing sexual harassment within its ranks, and for failing to address it properly.
The fine represents roughly 0.16% of the party’s total spending, per 2021 figures. It was handed down to the party on Monday (June 26) after a labor department investigation found it had broken Taiwan’s gender equality employment law.
The investigation found the DPP failed to “prevent and correct” the occurrence of sexual harassment. The party had broken the part of the law that says employers may not take any disciplinary action against employees who file complaints or assist others to file complaints pursuant to the act.
One woman shared that when serving in a junior position within the DPP, she complained of sexual harassment by a colleague. However, she was told her behavior made her responsible for the perpetrator's actions, and rejecting the man may hurt his self-esteem.
The victim also said she was made to apologize to the perpetrator. The staff member responsible for gender equality issues at the time, Hsu Chia-tien (許嘉恬), who reprimanded the woman for coming forward, was dismissed after the woman went public with her story.
The results of the labor department’s investigation concluded that the actions of the DPP had a significant impact on society, and said that the level of censure should reflect that, per CNA. The department said that employees must immediately deal with issues of sexual harassment after discovering them, and if they do not, they will likely have broken the law.
After the fine was announced, the DPP’s gender equality head Yen-jong Lee (李晏榕) said the party respected the decision, and it would implement further education regarding gender equality.
The NT$900,000 fine exceeds the previously reported maximum for such offenses by NT$400,000. It comes as cases of sexual harassment, naming high-profile entertainers, politicians, and other public figures, continue to be exposed in Taiwan since its Me Too movement began in late May.
