Taiwan’s #MeToo movement resurfaces as accusations hit politics, TV and schools

Taiwan is facing a long-delayed reckoning with sexual harassment and sexual violence. In the past month, people have stepped forward with accusations, one after the other, leading to criminal investigations, resignations at different levels of government, and a society-wide discussion of the unspoken rules that govern gender norms in society.
Taiwan’s #MeToo movement, which had a brief wave of accusations in 2017 as the #MeToo movement swept the globe, reignited on May 31 when a woman named Chen Chien-jou who worked for the Democratic Progressive Party, the party in power, accused film director Hsueh Chao-hui of groping her and making unwanted sexual advances.
With the 2024 presidential campaign kicking off, Hsu has since resigned from her post, and the party vowed to make changes internally with the backing of its new chair, Lai Ching-te. People within the DPP accused of sexual harassment or assault were pushed to resign, though Hsueh maintained his position as he does not work for the party. He issued a public statement denying the accusation, saying he would cooperate with any investigation and apologizing for any misunderstanding.
On June 8, Taipei city councilor Chung Pei-chun accused pro-Nationalist political pundit Lucifer Chu of forcibly kissing her multiple times and grabbing her in 2022 at a private dinner with friends. Chung had appeared on a news program earlier in June alongside Chu to criticize the DPP’s series of sexual harassment allegations.
At first the accusations were primarily in the political sphere, but soon spread.
One person brought a criminal suit against TV host Chen Hsuan-yu. Known by his stage name, NONO, he’s been accused of sexual harassment, assault and other crimes. According to local media, at least 20 women have made accusations against NONO, and Taipei prosecutors are expected to subpoena him.
On June 21, influencer Chiu Yao-le accused his former boyfriend Aaron Yan, a popular actor and singer, of filming them in bed without his consent when he was 16.
The wave of accusations and personal stories of unwanted encounters has brought the way Taiwan deals with sexual violence to the forefront of society.