Taiwan

Art is a reflection of the society. Paintings, movies, music, and even TV shows can help be a mirror. Proving this, a Netflix show has sparked a local MeToo movement in Taiwan. The country is experiencing a surge of sexual harassment and assault allegations, triggered by the show called ' Wave Makers'. 

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The outpouring of sexual harassment cases

Over the past two weeks, more than 90 people have come forward, accusing individuals across the island nation. 

Initially, the allegations focused on politics and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), leading to the resignation of several senior officials. 

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Also read | Study shows why sexual assault victims hesitate to come forward immediately

However, now the accusations have spread throughout Taiwanese society, targeting doctors, professors, sporting umpires, and YouTubers.

Better late than never!

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As per a BBC report, the MeToo moment is long overdue for many women across Taiwanese society, which is otherwise commended globally for its progressive politics and commitment to gender equality. 

President Tsai Ing-wen, the country's first female leader, has apologised and pledged to implement reforms. 

According to social commentator Dr Liu Wen, the magnitude of these revelations and the exposure of underlying issues across various industries is unprecedented.

"Previously we had single cases around sexual harassment, but never in such magnitude."

"It's the first time a lot of the underlying issues in different industries are being revealed all at the same time," added Wen.

'Wave Makers' makes waves

The screen inspiration behind this important local moment as mentioned is a Netflix show called Wave Makers. The show about Taiwanese political staffers working on an election debuted on Netflix in late April.

A scene from the show has been credited as the clarion call for the MeToo moment now sweeping Taiwan.

In it, a young female aide finds herself alone with her mentor — a party spokeswoman and the show's main character. 

On-screen, she is seen debating whether to confide in her senior the harassment she had endured from a male colleague "knowing that a public report would harm the party's standing and likely her own career", writes the BBC.

However, she finally decides to tell her and her confession is met with an offer of help.

Also read | Black Panther actor Tenoch Huerta denies sexual harassment allegations: Need to contest claims that are false

"Let's not just let this go, ok," says the woman's senior, brushing away her staffer's concerns. 

"We can't let things go this easily. Otherwise, we'll wither away and die."

Echoing the now iconic dialogue, on May 31, an ex-DPP staffer wrote an essay on Facebook.

"Let's not just let this go," wrote Chen Chiemn-jou. She went on to describe her experience of being sexually harassed at a work event. She alleges that when she had reported the harassment earlier, a female supervisor in charge of the party's women's affairs - had asked her "Why didn't you say anything?", before advising her to bury the claim.

Taiwan's #MeToo movement

Chen's post electrified Taiwan. The post which has been shared thousands of times, as per BBC, appears to have motivated others in politics and beyond to report their experiences of harassment and how authorities responded.

Another ex-DPP female staffer later alleged her male supervisor had verbally abused her and stymied her complaint about another male colleague's harassment.

Several senior DPP officials, including Hsu Chia-tien, the supervisor in Chen's case, who was suspended by the party, and Yen Chih-fa, an adviser to the president who has denied accusations of sexual harassment by a campaigner have resigned.

In addition to the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party in Taiwan has also faced allegations of sexual harassment. 

A journalist accused KMT lawmaker Fu Kun-chi of forcibly kissing her at a press event in 2014, which Fu has denied. 

Another KMT councillor alleged harassment by a well-known media personality, who apologised for his behaviour, citing being drunk and having no recollection of the events.

More than 90 cases of sexual harassment and assault have been documented in an online database. 

Among the high-profile men accused are Tiananmen protest leader Wang Dan, who has denied sexual assault allegations from two younger men, and exiled poet Bei Ling, who has been accused by a writer of the Wave Makers show of sexual assault, which he denies. 

Polish diplomat Bartosz Ryś is another high-profile name. He has been accused of sexual assault by a Taiwanese think tank researcher, but prosecutors investigated the incident and decided not to charge him. Ryś has denied the allegations.

While this moment signifies a reckoning and an opportunity to address gender and sexual abuse in Taiwan, survivors find themselves thrust into a traumatic public conversation. Many remain sceptical of lasting change.

The MeToo movement in Taiwan has emerged at a significant time in the country's political landscape as it prepares for a presidential election next January. 

The TV show's screenwriters, who sparked the initial wave of allegations, expressed their surprise at the public response. Talking to BBC, they explained that "through idealised depictions of addressing workplace harassment in drama, people can find a shared language to express their expectations of how such issues should be handled."

(With inputs from agencies)

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