Democratic Progressive Party legislators Fan Yun, Lin Yueqin, Guo Yuqing, and Wu Peiyi recently held a press conference at the Legislative Yuan on the 9th to address the issue of sexual exploitation of children and adolescents. They announced that there will be zero tolerance for such activities and proposed amendments to the law to increase penalties in order to curb social chaos. The legislators emphasized the importance of protecting the next generation and urged the public to refrain from buying or downloading sexual images of minors.
This recent call for stricter penalties comes in the wake of the arrest of artist Huang Zijiao for possessing sexual images of minors, which has sparked widespread criticism and demands for action. Legislators and artists alike have called for a comprehensive approach to target the production and trafficking of such images. They highlighted the need for increased penalties for selling and possessing sexual images of children and adolescents to effectively combat sexual exploitation.
Last year, the Legislative Yuan passed a third reading to amend the “Regulations on the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation of Children and Children” to enhance penalties for filming and publishing sexual images of minors. However, some legislators have pointed out that amending the law is just the first step and that the real challenge lies in uncovering and punishing those who have been covering up these crimes for years.
In response to these concerns, DPP legislators and the Women’s Rescue Foundation CEO Du Yingqiu, convened a press conference to make two key demands: zero tolerance for sexual exploitation of children and adolescents, and increased penalties for those involved in the production, sale, and possession of sexual images. The legislators stressed the need for a more proactive legal approach and improved law enforcement capacity to effectively combat these crimes.
Legislator Shen Boyang emphasized the importance of evidence preservation in addressing these issues, suggesting that technological investigations and money laundering analyses should be prioritized. Other legislators proposed establishing different sentencing standards based on the age of the victims and the severity of the offense, as well as implementing measures to quickly remove illegal content from online platforms.
Overall, there is a growing consensus in Taiwanese society on the need for stronger laws and penalties to combat the sexual exploitation of children and adolescents. Lawmakers are working towards creating a comprehensive legal framework that will not only deter offenders but also provide support and protection for victims of these heinous crimes.