Protections apply before a verdict. What happened is not your fault. The Sexual Assault Crime Prevention Act's definition of victim includes a person suspected of having experienced sexual assault (Art. 2(3)). Identifying information must generally be protected and may not be publicized. A trusted person may accompany you during investigation or trial. Hearings are generally closed, and a procedure aims to reduce repeated statements. You may take these steps at your own pace.
Safety and medical care first
If you face an immediate threat in Taiwan, call 110. For 24-hour, free advice, accompaniment or referral, call the 113 Protection Hotline. City and county sexual-assault prevention centers provide emergency telephone help, medical and evidence-collection support, counseling, emergency accommodation and legal consultation (Art. 6(1)).
A medical institution may not refuse examination or an injury certificate without reason; a nurse must accompany care, and privacy must be protected (Art. 14). An examination and evidence collection generally require the victim's written consent, subject to the Code of Criminal Procedure or inability to express a decision (Art. 17; Enforcement Rules, Art. 11(2)).
Hotline source: Ministry of Health and Welfare 113 information ↗.
Protection of your identity
People who learn a victim's name, date of birth, address or other identifying information through their work must generally keep it confidential. Publicly displayed government and judicial documents must not disclose it (Sexual Assault Crime Prevention Act, Art. 15(1), (3)).
Media generally may not publish information identifying the victim. Exceptions are limited, such as consent from an adult victim or a legally justified determination by a prosecutor or court (Art. 16(1)). Others likewise may not disclose identifying information publicly (Art. 16(4)). It can include photos, voice, address, relatives, school, class or workplace (Enforcement Rules, Art. 10). Breach of a work-based confidentiality duty, or disclosure by a broadcaster or other media operator, can draw an administrative fine of NT$60,000–600,000 (Arts. 47–48). An unjustified disclosure by another person can draw a fine of NT$20,000–100,000 (Art. 48(4)).
Someone you trust can accompany you
With your consent, a legal representative, spouse, qualifying relative or household member, physician, psychologist, counselor, social worker or trusted person may be present during investigation or trial and state views (Art. 18(1)). A suspect or accused person cannot serve in that role, and attendance may be excluded if it obstructs investigation (Art. 18(2)).
You may request a social worker from the city or county authority; it generally must assign one unless clearly unnecessary. For a child or adolescent victim, an assignment is ordinarily required (Art. 18(3); Enforcement Rules, Art. 13).
Reducing repeated statements
The Ministry of Health and Welfare's operational guidance on reducing repeated statements aims to limit repeat questioning from reporting through the pretrial process. It covers people under 18, people with intellectual disabilities and other victims who apply, subject to a social worker's assessment.
The guidance calls for continuous audio and video recording, generally completing questioning in one session, social-work accompaniment and use of existing recordings where appropriate. This is an administrative procedure assessed case by case, not a guarantee that no further questioning will occur.
Statute separately permits a qualified professional to assist questioning of a child or intellectually disabled victim when necessary (Art. 19). Earlier statements may be admitted under carefully defined conditions, including trauma-related inability to speak and a special showing of reliability and necessity (Art. 26).
Protection during trial
- Closed hearing: Sexual-assault trials are not public unless an adult victim consents and the court finds public access necessary (Art. 27(1)).
- Separation: A court may question a victim outside the courtroom or use audio-video links or other measures. If a child, adolescent or a person with intellectual disability or trauma may be unable to speak freely in the courtroom, the court must use separation measures (Art. 23(1)–(2)).
- Limits on improper questioning: The accused and counsel generally may not question or present evidence about the victim's sexual experiences with others, unless the court finds it necessary (Art. 23(4)). Courts must stop sex-discriminatory statements or conduct toward a victim (Art. 25).
Cost assistance and other support
On application, local authorities may subsidize medical care outside national health insurance, examination and evidence-collection costs, psychological rehabilitation, litigation and lawyer fees (Art. 28(1)). Local rules govern eligibility, conditions and amounts (Art. 28(2)).
After prosecution, eligible victims may apply for trial participation. The Crime Victim Rights Protection Act provides additional protection services and compensation; see victim participation and compensation.
Must you make your own criminal complaint?
Most Criminal Code sexual-autonomy offenses do not require a victim's complaint. Article 229-1 makes only specified situations complaint-only: Articles 221 or 224 against a spouse, and Article 227 committed by a person under 18. Otherwise, prosecutors begin investigating when they learn of a suspected crime (Code of Criminal Procedure, Art. 228(1)).
When to seek advice
You may appoint a lawyer as a complaint representative (Code of Criminal Procedure, Art. 236-1) or to appear and state views at trial (Art. 271-1). You can ask how to give a statement or whether trial participation is available before deciding. This page provides general information, not individual legal advice.