Guidance

Taiwan: information for victims of rape and sexual assault

Updated 7 March 2024

If you’ve been sexually assaulted it’s important to remember that it was not your fault. Rape and sexual assault is always wrong – no matter who commits it or where it happens. It is traumatic and it can affect you both physically and emotionally. Do not be afraid to get help.

This information is provided to help British nationals overseas make informed decisions about whether and how to:

• seek medical advice and attention
• report to local police
• engage with foreign legal authorities following a rape or other form of sexual assault overseas

For information on support available in the UK, see Rape and Sexual Assault: Returning to the UK.

First steps

It is your choice about what you do next, but this information may help you in coming to a decision. The most important thing is to make sure that you are as safe as you can be. You can:

• contact the emergency services in Taiwan on 110 (police 警察局), 119 (ambulance services救護車) and 113 (the Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault hotline 保護專線)
• contact your tour operator if you are travelling with one
• contact the British Office Taipei (英國在台辦事處) on +886 (2) 8758 2088. The staff at the British Office Taipei will be empathetic, and non-judgmental, and can provide information on local police and medical procedures. Anything you tell them will be treated in the strictest confidence. They can contact your family or friends for you if you wish

If you want to report the incident to police in Taiwan

Before you go to the police station

If you have a tour operator, they should be able to arrange for someone to support you.
If you are in an area near Taipei, the British Office Taipei will try to send a British Assistance and Services Section (BASS) officer to support you, where timing and location allow. You will always be able to speak to trained consular staff on the telephone 24/7.

You can also contact the Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault hotline by calling 113 who will assign a social worker to assist you with reporting the incident to the police and accompanying you to the local hospital.

If you approach the police directly, you can ask them to inform the British Office Taipei on +886 (2) 8758 2088, who can then offer you consular support.

If you choose to report the crime, try to do so as soon as possible, so forensic evidence can be retained. Washing yourself or your clothes may make it difficult for the police to obtain forensic evidence. If you change your clothes, take those you were wearing to the police. You may wish to preserve evidence by retaining items such as condoms, toothbrushes, or texts.

At the police station

You have the right to be accompanied by a person of your choice during your first contact with the police. You can request an officer of a particular gender although there is no guarantee one will be available. There should be English-speaking police officers, but you may also request an interpreter when you initially report the crime. This may be another police officer. If you contact 113, you can request your assigned social worker to be present with you during this meeting.

Tell the police if you think you have been drugged.

Insist you get a police report, and request a translation in English if applicable.

Should you wish to report the incident to the police, you may be asked to provide information about your identity and details of the incident, including:

• if there was sexual intercourse (if yes, was it forceful)
• if you have sustained injuries
• description of the crime scene (time of incident, location, if known, vehicles, etc.)
• description of the attacker
• if there were any witnesses

You may be asked to produce any evidence that you have such as:

• video or voice recordings
• photographs
• communication, such as text messages
• clothes

If you choose to report the incident to the police, a British Assistance and Services Section (BASS) officer may be able to accompany you where timing and location allow. If you prefer to be interviewed by a female police officer, we can request that from the local authorities. We can also provide details of local lawyers and interpreters. However, only you can decide if you want to take legal action - we cannot make this decision for you. Whatever you choose, we will support you.

You will not be asked to surrender your passport while the investigation is carried out, but the police will need to check it and may make copies.

When handling any suspected rape and sexual assault cases, the local authorities may share information concerning your case with other government departments. This may include reports of the facts and allegations, your personal data and the results of any medical examinations. This process is referred to as the “One-Stop Service”, designed to ensure that all of the important information relevant to your case is shared with the appropriate authority, and to protect victims from further psychological harm by avoiding the need to recount traumatic experiences on multiple occasions.

If you do decide to report the incident to the local authorities, you may receive some form of financial assistance with your medical bills and any further medical examinations.

After making statement

During the interview with the police, you will be asked questions to help them conduct their investigations. This could include making a statement about the incident and giving a description of the suspect(s). In most cases you will be asked for the clothes you were wearing, your mobile phone (as it could contain material relevant to the investigation) as well as other items that the suspect(s) may have touched.

Once you have made your statement to the police, and with your consent, the police will arrange for you to be sent to a nearby hospital or specialised centre for a medical and forensic examination.

You should insist on getting a document from the police confirming that you have reported the crime, with a police reference number and the police’s contact details so that you are able to follow up with them later.

You should take your passport with you to the police station for identification purposes. This document will be returned to you as soon as the police have established your identity.

The Taiwan police authorities will not inform the UK police or the British Office Taipei about the assault without your consent.

The police may decide to take you back to the scene of the crime as part of the investigation process. They will only do this if necessary. The police may also use other methods, including using web mapping platforms and CCTV, in order to identify the location or suspect (s).

You may be asked to identify a suspect at the police station. In these cases, your identity will be protected by a two-way mirror and you will never be in the same room as the suspect. Formal identification of the suspect may also be completed using police photographs.

If the police make an arrest, they will take the suspect before a prosecutor within 24 hours. The prosecutor can then request the suspect to be detained in Taiwan. This detention period can be extended whilst the investigation is on-going and a decision is being made about whether to charge the suspect.

During the investigation period, the prosecutor may invite you to make a second statement and ask you further questions concerning the case. You can request for your lawyer, interpreter or your appointed social worker to accompany you during this time.

Some lawyers may offer pro bono services in Taiwan. See our lawyers list.

If you want to leave Taiwan, you should speak with the investigating police officer handling your case. They will be able to inform you if and when you will be required to provide further evidence, and if that can be done from the UK.

The process of investigating and bringing charges can take many months. You may need to appoint a lawyer during this time, particularly if you are no longer in Taiwan.

If you do not want to report the incident to the police in Taiwan

The British Office Taipei will be able to help you. This includes helping you:

• contact your insurance company, your family,
• assisting you to make arrangements to travel back to the UK and/or
• providing you with information on local support in the UK
• providing you with lists of English-speaking medical facilities, lawyers and translators.

If you are travelling with one, you can also report the incident to your tour operator and ask them for assistance. If you wish, the tour operator may accompany you to the local hospital. If you wish, and depending on location and timing, a BASS officer may be able to accompany you.

It is your choice whether to report the crime. We cannot report for you, but we will support you with whatever you decide to do. You may wish to consider writing down what happened so that you have your own record that you can share with the police if you want to report the assault later on. If you decide not to report the crime whilst you’re in Taiwan, you will still be able do so once you have returned to the UK. However, note that in order to carry out criminal investigation, the Taiwanese authorities would still require you to make a police report and you may be asked to provide any relevant evidence. If you do not report it, your case may not be investigated.

You will be able to receive medical attention in Taiwan, even if you choose not to report the crime to the police. However, be aware that health and medical professionals in Taiwan are required by law to report any confirmed or suspected rape and sexual assault cases to the police within 24 hours.

If you want to report the incident to the UK police

The support available to you, and your access to justice may vary according to where you report the crime. In many countries and territories, you need to report the crime before you leave the country or territory, if you want it to be investigated and police to obtain important evidence.

If you are staying in the country or territory where the crime took place, you should report the crime in that location. If you are a British national and you need help to report the crime, you can contact the nearest British embassy, high commission or representative office, or the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office in London.

If you do not report the crime in the country or territory where it happened and you return to the UK, you can still report the matter to your local UK police.

The UK police should send the information you provide to the country or territory where the crime happened. However, it is for foreign police forces to decide whether to investigate a crime in their jurisdiction, and they may not take action.

You can report the crime to the UK police even if you are not seeking an investigation abroad. The UK police can offer you access to victim support in the UK. They may still send some details of the crime to police in the country or territory where it happened. This might be necessary in order to protect vulnerable people, or to stop more crimes being committed.

Medical examination: what to expect

Where to go

There are 137 designated hospitals and medical centres across Taiwan that specialise in providing help and medical treatment to male and female victims of rape and sexual assault. See list of these hospitals and medical centres, including contact information and addresses.

Under the Sexual Assault Crime Prevention Act Hospitals and medical centres in Taiwan have a legal obligation to report suspected sexual assault cases and the results of any examinations to the police.

Examination

The medical staff will do a full and thorough medical history and will conduct a full physical examination. You can request a same-gender medical staff. They may also take samples of semen and hair for DNA testing. Other procedures may include:

• collection of blood, urine and other body secretion samples
• photo documentation
• checking for external injuries
• taking internal swabs
• collecting any possible physical evidence that may have transferred from the scene

The medical examination samples and evidence will be retained for up to 6 months then destroyed unless you request that they be retained longer.

Treatment

Hospital staff can give you advice on HIV PEP medication (‘post-exposure prophylaxis’, a treatment that can prevent HIV infection after unprotected sexual intercourse). PEP is only available under a prescription and at certain designated hospitals in Taiwan. See list of medical centres and pharmacies, including contact information and addresses.

HIV PEP medication needs to be taken within 72 hours of the incident for it to be effective. The NHS may be able to commence or continue the 28-day treatment on return to the UK.

Emergency contraception is only available in Taiwan under a prescription and may not be available at all medical clinics and pharmacies. Medical staff at designated hospitals and medical centres will be able to provide you with information and advice, including prescribing emergency contraception. The cost of emergency contraception is not free.

Emergency contraception needs to be taken within 72 hours of the incident for it to be effective.

Should you require further information on HIV PEP medication, emergency contraception, or medical services in Taiwan, please refer to the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website or contact their helpline on 1922. If you are unable to speak to anyone at the CDC you can telephone the British Office Taipei for support.

If you have had medication administered overseas, you should keep the label or make a note of the name of the medication, so that you let your local health provider know when you return home.

Court procedures: what to expect

If the case goes to trial, you may be required to testify again as a witness. This may be required, if, for instance, the defendant denies the accusations, or if no investigative interrogation (in person or via video) was carried out before the trial. You can take a friend, social worker or relative with you to provide emotional support during this period.

If the case requires further investigation, you may have to give an additional statement.

Reports of rape or sexual assault will be investigated thoroughly. The Taiwanese authorities will not impose any legal charges on you if you withdraw your statement or later change your mind, barring criminal acts such as intentionally giving false evidence or giving false information to a public servant. You will not be able to drop the criminal charges against the suspect(s) once the charge has been filed.

If you appoint a lawyer they can advocate for you and support you. They will be best placed to advise you on the legal and criminal system in Taiwan to help you make important decisions about your case. Only the Taiwan lawyer who you have formally appointed to represent you has the legal right to request access to forensic evidence and legal documentation relating to the case. If you do not appoint a lawyer, you can keep in touch with the police investigator and clerk of the relevant prosecutor’s office who can keep you updated on the case.

If the accused person believes you have intentionally given false evidence or fabricated evidence against them, they have the right to lodge a police report against you.

It is possible for the courts to review any requests for compensation for injuries or losses. The final decision rests with the court.

Note that the prosecutor’s office and the court both also have the discretion to ask you to return to Taiwan to give your testimony in person at a hearing.

Rape and sexual assault cases are not open to the public and media in Taiwan, unless you have given specific consent. Special measures are taken in order to ensure that no judicial documentation reveals the name of the victim or any of their personal information.

The Taiwanese authorities will not inform the UK Police of any convictions.

Additional legal information

Trial and trial procedures

Once you have made a police report and have given evidence, it will be up to the police and public prosecutor to investigate the crime, to build a case and decide whether to prosecute and transfer the case to the court. The court will then decide what further investigations are needed, whether any evidence that has been gathered so far should be excluded on legal grounds, and thereafter decide whether the defendant is guilty.

There is no legal deadline for a rape and sexual assault complaint to be filed in Taiwan, but there are provisions regarding the statute of limitations. What this means is that a prosecutor may not be able to file charges against an individual if too long a period has passed since the time the alleged crime was committed. This period of time varies depending on the severity of the crime.

If you want to make sure that you are informed if and when there is going to be a trial, we recommend that you make a written request as soon as possible, for instance when making your police report. You may otherwise only be informed that there is a trial when you are summoned as a witness.

If your testimony is required in court, you will receive a court summon to attend the trial proceedings. The language in the court will be Mandarin. However, if you need to testify, an interpreter will be provided for you.

The length of time it takes for an initial sentence to be passed in a rape or sexual assault case depends on a number of factors:

• whether or not the suspect has been remanded in custody
• the severity of the crime itself
• the prosecutors’ and courts’ respective caseloads

In general terms, however, it will take around 2 years for the whole process to be completed and the court to issue its decision and decide on the initial sentence to be imposed. After the initial sentence has been determined, the defendant has the right to at least one appeal. If there is no appeal, the initial sentence will become final.

You can receive additional support from victim support organisations in Taiwan, who may be able to arrange for you to have psychological and financial support during the trial. See list of support organisations in Taiwan at the bottom of this page.

Hiring a lawyer

A lawyer can represent you fully and assist you in asserting your rights in a rape or sexual assault case. Lawyers who specialise in representing rape and sexual assault victims are mainly found in larger cities.

You can sign a formal document to retain a Taiwan lawyer to act as your criminal complaint agent, to enter a complaint to the Taiwan police or prosecutor even after you have left Taiwan. However, note that it is still very important to gather as much evidence as possible at the time the crime took place, before you return to the UK.

See list of English-speaking lawyers and list of translators and interpreters.

Communication

During the police investigations, you will primarily communicate with the police. Later, during the trial, you will also be communicating with other parties to the proceedings. At all stages of the case, you will be able to communicate with your lawyer, if you have formally appointed one.

You will be required to provide your contact information and address in order to receive formal notices from the court. If you do not reside in Taiwan and have formally appointed a lawyer, the lawyer’s address will be sufficient to receive correspondence. The local authorities will not send notification letters and correspondence overseas.

Legal aid

The Legal Aid Foundation is a legal service dealing mainly with family law and criminal legal matters in Taiwan. They may be able to provide free legal advice as well as court representation, and grants of legal aid funds to pay for an English-speaking legal aid lawyer or a private solicitor.

Whether or not you are entitled to legal aid (法律扶助 in Mandarin) will depend on your residential and income status. This will be tested before legal aid is granted. Non-resident foreign nationals in Taiwan are able to apply for legal aid provided they meet at least one of the conditions set out in Article 14 of the Legal Aid Act.

You can find more information on the Legal Aid Foundation and the services that they provide on their official website.

Sentencing

In deciding whether sentences are weighted in favour of punishment or rehabilitation, judges have to consider both aspects.

Depending on the case, the sentence for a convicted adult perpetrator can be imprisonment.

If the perpetrator is found not guilty, they will be acquitted.

Compensation

The Association for Victims Support (犯罪被害人保護協會) is an organisation that supports victims of rape and sexual assault crimes in Taiwan. They may be able to provide you with support grants and other forms of financial assistance during this period. Whether or not you are entitled to claim support under this programme will depend on your residential and income status. You can find more information about the Association for Victims Support and the services that they provide on their official website.

You may be encouraged to reach a settlement with the perpetrator(s) that could involve them paying you a certain amount of money as compensation. This would take the place of any criminal investigation.

When you return home to the UK

You may want to let your GP or a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) know what has happened to you so that you can talk about the experience and seek further support and advice where you live.

If you believe you may be at risk of having contracted a sexually transmitted disease (STD), you should ask your local health provider to test you. You should do this even if you have been tested in the country or territory that the assault took place in.

Region	Organisation
England	NHS Choices website, or search the internet for ‘NHS SARC’
Scotland	Archway SARC, Phone: 0141 211 8175
Wales	New Pathways SARC, Phone: 01685 379 310
	Ynys Saff Sexual Assault Referral Centre - Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
Northern Ireland	Rowan SARC, Phone: 0800 389 4424

Read our advice on returning to the UK after rape and sexual assault abroad.

Support organisations in Taiwan

It is your choice whether or not you let people know about what happened to you. If you are ready to talk about it, the organisations below may be able to help you.

The Association for Victims Support (犯罪被害人保護協會)

1F, No.164
Bo’ Ai Road, Zhongzheng District
Taipei, 100
Taiwan
Tel: +886 (2) 2389 8102 (English services are available by request)

Website: http://www.avs.org.tw/home_en.aspx

The Association for Victims Support is an organisation that supports victims of rape and sexual assault, domestic violence and human trafficking in Taiwan. They support victims and survivors with arranging emergency accommodation, medical services and numerous forms of financial assistance.

The Association for Victims Support has offices in most major cities across Taiwan. All services provided by the organisation are free of charge.

The Center

2F, No. 238
Zhongshan North Road
Section 6, Shilin District
Taipei, 111032
Taiwan
Tel: +886 2 2836 8134 (Crisis Line: 0932 594 578) (English services available)

Website: https://www.communitycenter.org.tw/

The Centre is a non-profit organisation that provides support and services to the international community in Taiwan. Their services and programmes include English language counselling, including crisis response.

The Garden of Hope Foundation (勵馨基金會)

1F., No.2-1, Shunan Street
Xindian District
New Taipei City 23143
Taiwan
Tel: +886 2 8911 5595 (English services available)

Website: https://global.goh.org.tw/en/p1-about.asp

The Garden of Hope Foundation is a non-government, non-profit group established in 1988 to help disadvantaged girls and young women. They specialise in supporting survivors of rape and sexual assault, domestic violence and human trafficking.

The Taipei City Centre for Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (臺北市家庭暴力暨性侵害防治中心)

No.123, Yanping South Road
Zhongzheng District
Taipei, 10042
Taiwan
Tel: 113 (English services available)

Website: https://english.dvpc.gov.taipei/

The Centre for Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault is an official government department authorised by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The services provided include emergency rescue, consulting and assisting victims who have suffered from some form of domestic violence or sexual assault. All services provided are free of charge.

There is a Centre for Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault in all counties across Taiwan.

Modern Women’s Foundation (現代婦女基金會)

Room B. 7F-1
No. 7, Section 1, Roosevelt Road
Taipei, 100
Taiwan
Tel: +886 2 2391 7133

Website: https://www.38.org.tw/index_en.asp

The Modern Women’s Foundation is non-government organisation that can provide counselling and support to victims of sexual assault and harassment in Taiwan.

You will need to be resident in Taipei and over 18 years old. Their services are currently only available in Mandarin.

Disclaimer

This information has been prepared by UK government officials who are not legally or medically trained. It should therefore never be used as a substitute for professional medical or legal advice. It is intended to help British nationals overseas make their own informed decisions. Neither the UK government nor any official of the British Office Taipei accept liability for any loss or damage which you might suffer as a result of relying on the information supplied.

Medical information has been provided by The Havens Sexual Assault Referral Centres of Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and was accurate at the time of production (02/02/2022).