Taiwan police under scanner after teen sexually assaulted in botched sting operation
Two police officers in Taiwan are under the scanner after a teenage girl was sexually assaulted during a botched sting operation by a man she accused of blackmailing her.
The 13-year-old girl approached police in the Zhongli district of the northwestern city of Taoyuan in November 2020 to lodge a complaint against a man she met on an app for blackmailing her into having sex with him.
The man, identified only by his surname Chang, threatened to publish explicit pictures and offered NT$5,000 (£120) in return for sexual favours.
While he was convicted to eight years in prison last month, details of what the attacker did to the teen during the botched sting operation emerged only during the trial.
Court documents revealed the girl was allegedly used in the undercover operation by two police officials to nab the culprit after she approached authorities with the complaint against the man.
The girl agreed to meet Chang after the two officers assured her of her safety. They said they would follow her to a McDonald’s outlet where she was supposed to meet her blackmailer.
But the officers lost her after she got into a car with the man and was driven a few hundred metres away as they tried to chase her on foot, local media reported, citing court documents.
Chang then sexually assaulted the girl in the car before leaving her at the McDonald’s, where he was arrested by the police.
The two police officers are being investigated on various violations, including negligence, reported CNA.
The girl agreed to be part of the sting operation after she was assured of her safety by the two officers.
A Zhongli branch police spokesperson on Thursday appeared to blame the girl as he said the police had instructed her to not get into the car.
The incident prompted outrage on social media, with people accusing police of putting the life of the girl in danger by using her as bait.
On Saturday, the Taoyuan police department issued an apology, saying the two officers are under investigation after being referred to the District Prosecutors Office.
They have been placed on administrative duties as the investigation continues. Two other senior officers were also given demerits for damaging the reputation of the police as they were part of the initial investigation.
There is no law in Taiwan that allows inclusion of minors in undercover operations in Taiwan but, under the country’s civil code, those who infringe upon the rights of others, either intentionally or unintentionally, could be sued, reported CNA.
