Taipei government censured for handling of child sexual abuse case

Taipei, Feb. 5 (CNA) Taiwan's highest government supervisory body announced on Wednesday the results of its investigation into sexual abuse of minors at Taipei Piramide School (台北市私立培諾米達幼兒園) between 2021 and 2023, finding that multiple "breakdowns" in protocol occurred in the Taipei City government's handling of the case.

At a press conference held by the Control Yuan on Wednesday, members Yeh Ta-hua (葉大華), Tien Chiu-chin (田秋堇) and Chi Hui-jung (紀惠容) said that the Taipei City Department of Education and the Taipei City Center for Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault failed to follow appropriate procedures following the filing of a report on sexual assault at the preschool in 2022.

The case relates to Mao Chun-shen (毛畯珅), a former preschool teacher at the school who was found guilty by the Taiwan High Court on Jan. 7 of nine counts of sexual assault by penetration, 203 counts of indecent assault and 14 counts of filming obscene images of minors.

Mao was arrested in July 2023 on suspicion of sexually assaulting children at the privately-run educational establishment that was owned by his mother.

The Control Yuan members said that the failure of the local authorities to suspend Mao after receiving a report of potential wrongdoing resulted in the continued sexual assault of minors on school premises.

It also pointed to communication issues between various departments and failures in tracking the case in accordance with regulations.

The Control Yuan has ordered the Taipei City government to "re-examine" its failings and relaunch an investigation into its handling of the case.