This article meticulously traces the timeline of the sexual harassment allegations against Wang Dan and the non-prosecution decision by the Taiwan District Prosecutors Office. In addition, it includes translations of the content posted on Facebook by the victim, Lee Yuan-chun himself, the non-prosecution decision from the Taipei District Prosecutors Office, and an interview with Lee Yuan-chun by “NewNewsCN” (authorized by the article’s author).
Translated by Chihiro, chestnut.

# Wang Dan Sexual Harassment Timeline

• June 2, 2023
  Lee Yuan-chun publicly accused Wang Dan of “forced kissing” and “attempted rape” at a hotel in Flushing, New York, in 2014. Wang Dan responded, claiming that the accusation was politically motivated and denied the allegations.
• June 3, 2023
  National Tsing Hua University master’s graduate and writer Hsu Hao-chien accused Wang Dan of inappropriate physical contact 13 years ago and called him a serial sex offender. Wang Dan responded, stating that the accusations greatly differed from his recollection and understanding.
• June 4, 2023
  Lee Yuan-chun held a press conference, demanding Wang Dan respond and publicly apologize by June 6, or face legal action. The National Tsinghua University Humanities and Social Sciences Student Association issued a statement supporting victims speaking out, calling on the university to suspend Wang Dan’s teaching duties to protect student rights. The university stated that Wang Dan might have violated the law related to Gender Equality and would contact victims to inquire about initiating an investigation. If violations were confirmed, he would be banned from teaching at any university in Taiwan.
• June 7, 2023
  Lee Yuan-chun formally filed a lawsuit against Wang Dan for “attempted rape,” which was accepted by the Taipei District Prosecutors Office and entered an investigation. National Tsinghua University terminated Wang Dan’s appointment as an adjunct guest assistant professor and expanded its investigation, proactively reaching out to students who took his courses between 2010-2017 and 2022-2023, while also opening channels for complaints.
• June 14, 2023
  The Taipei District Prosecutors Office announced that Wang Dan’s case had been classified as an “other investigation case” due to alleged sexual offenses.
• July 20, 2023
  Deutsche Welle reported that at least four additional individuals accused Wang Dan of varying degrees of sexual harassment. One alleged victim claimed that Wang Dan engaged in non-consensual sexual acts, submitting evidence to National Tsinghua University and the university they were attending at the time. A media professional stated that they had repeatedly witnessed Wang Dan leveraging his activist status to sexually harass young men. Wang Dan responded that the case was now under legal proceedings and that he had no further comments.
• May 12, 2024
  Lee Yuan-chun posted on Facebook, announcing that he had received a “non-indictment notice” from the Taipei District Prosecutors Office but reiterated that the harassment had indeed occurred. He noted that National Tsinghua University’s Gender Equality Education Committee had determined that Wang Dan had committed sexual harassment. Lee stated that he had done his best to speak out, and expressed hope that this case would increase public awareness of bodily boundaries and affirmative consent. Wang Dan emphasized that the prosecution had issued a non-indictment due to “lack of evidence,” but did not address the prosecutors’ rejection of his defense or National Tsinghua University’s findings confirming sexual harassment. He also did not address the fact that the non-indictment decision was partly due to jurisdictional issues, as the alleged incident occurred in the United States, outside Taiwan’s legal authority.

# Lee Yuan-chun’s Facebook post content（English Translation）

The original text can be found at the following link.
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php/?story_fbid=2445619058970544&id=100005674205400

Result of Wang Dan’s Case: Non-Indictment.

Since I accused Wang Dan of harassment, nearly a year has passed, and today my lawyer informed me that I have received the non-indictment notice.

After reading it, I truly believe that the prosecutor and the judicial system have made every effort, but given this outcome, there is nothing more I can do, nor do I intend to file for appeal.

However, I must emphasize that a non-indictment does not mean that sexual assault never happened.

National Tsinghua University’s Gender Equality Education Committee ultimately determined that sexual harassment did occur, and even the non-indictment notice acknowledges the possibility of forced indecency. However, due to various factors, prosecution was not pursued.

This incident was real. I was violated and harmed, and I have done everything within my power to speak out.

I hope this case will raise awareness that respecting personal boundaries is crucial and must be taken seriously, regardless of the circumstances, identities, or relationships involved—-active consent should always be sought.

The outdated notion that “a little touching is fine” or “a kiss doesn’t matter” should no longer exist in today’s society and culture.

Finally, I want to thank everyone who has stood by me through this journey—-my family, my partner Huang Sheng-li for their unwavering support, legislator Lin Liang-chun for actively assisting me throughout this process, and all those around the world still fighting for autonomy and equality.

Today, I am ready to let go of this matter and move forward into my new life.

And as for Wang Dan—-let’s part our way here. Please stop trying to add me on Facebook.

# Non-Prosecution Decision by the Taipei District Prosecutors Office (English Translation)

This is the English translation of the image of the Non-Prosecution Decision that was attached to Mr. Lee Yuan-chun’s SNS post. The original text can be found at the link mentioned above.

(IV) When a court lacks the jurisdiction to try a defendant, a decision of non-prosecution shall be issued, as explicitly provided in Article 252, Paragraph 7 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

Furthermore, regarding foreign nationals who commit crimes against citizens of the Republic of China outside the territory of the Republic of China, except in cases specified under Articles 5 and 6 of the Penal Code, or when the offense does not fall under the aforementioned two articles and carries a minimum penalty of imprisonment for three years or more, the courts of our nation do not possess the jurisdiction to adjudicate such matters. This is clearly evident from the provisions of Articles 3, 5, 7, and 8 of the Penal Code.

This case references the following: the circumstances of the Plaintiff’s complaint, the Plaintiff’s telling the witnesses that he was kissed by the Defendant [i.e., the record of the conversation in the attached], the Plaintiff’s Facebook posts around June 4, expressing his feelings many years after the incident [and the Facebook posts in Ground 3(c)], and taking into account the Defendant’s defense, the witnesses’ testimonies, and the aforementioned grounds [i.e., Grounds 4(i) to (iii)] will not be admitted in evidence in favor of the Defendant.

Moreover, this case has been investigated by the Gender Equality Education Committee of the National ** University where the defendant used to teach, and it was also found that the defendant did kiss the plaintiff against his will, confirming that the sexual harassment did happen. Although this case may confirm that the defendant did kiss the plaintiff against his will, and thus was suspected of committing the offences of forced obscenity, the defendant of this case is not a person of the Republic of China, and the alleged crime happened in the United States, even though this part is true, the offences of forced obscenity does not belong to the category of crimes with a “minimum penalty of more than three years’ imprisonment”, and as can be seen from the provisions of the aforementioned law [which has not been put out], this country does not have any right of trial against the defendant, and therefore, the defendant should be given a non-indictment.

Republic of China, April 11th, Year 113
Judge: Yu Pan-pan
After receiving this Non-Prosecution Decision, the Complainant may, within ten days, state the reasons for their dissatisfaction in writing, based on which the original Public Prosecutor may apply to the Chief Public Prosecutor of the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office for a reinvestigation.
Certification of this copy is consistent with the original.
Republic of China, May 2nd, Year 113
Clerk: Cheng He

# NewNewsCN Interview with Lee Yuan-chun (English Translation)

This article is a translation of a “NewNewsCN” article. Please refer to the original text here: Understand that the Prosecutor’s Decision of Not to Prosecute, “It is enough that [they] are willing to believe in part of the truth”

One year after publicly accused Wang Dan of sexual assault, Lee Yuan-chun received the “non-prosecution” notice from the procuratorate.

“Of course it didn’t meet my expectations, but there’s nothing I can do–I didn’t have enough evidence to sue him […] However, I think it is enough that the prosecutor is willing to believe that this incident did happen. At least [I know that] it’s not just me talking to myself.”

The Taipei District Prosecutors Office’s “Decision of Non-Prosecution” shows that the prosecutors holistically reviewed Lee Yuan-chun’s testimony, the chat records of him telling people about being forcibly kissed after the incident, and the emotional Facebook posts around June 4 every year, and believed that “it can be determined that Wang Dan’s unconsented kiss did occur,” and therefore he is suspected of “forced indecent assault”; however, because the legislation does not have jurisdiction over the crimes of non-Republic of China nationals suspected of committing crimes in a foreign country, the ultimate decision was not to prosecute.

On June 2nd, 2023, inspired by Taiwan’s #MeToo Movement, politician worker Lee Yuan-chun publicly accused the June 4th student protest leader, Wang Dan, of sexual assault, which sparkled the #MeToo movement among Chinese human rights circle and criticisms on patriarchy and misogyny within the circle. Facing allegations and the lawsuit, Wang Dan responded that the sexual assault is “completely non-existent” and publicly stated that he would take the case to the court.

Now, facing the “non-prosecution” decision, Lee Yuan-chun’s disappointment doesn’t come from the “limitation of jurisdiction”, but that the prosecutor didn’t prosecute Wang Dan based on “Forced Sexual Intercourse”. The logic behind is that the judiciary only determined that there were acts of unconsented kissing; however, Wang Dan was not found to be suspected of attempted sexual peneration. There is a discrepancy between the the court decision, “Suspected of forced indecency but limitaiton of jurisdiction” and Lee’s claim, “attempted rape”.

“The prosecutor has their judgment. It’s not realistic to force them to prosecute [Wang] in a crime they disagree with.” Lee says. “If I stubbornly demand everyone to determine that Wang has attempted to rape me, I will never be able to move on.”

“I’ve done everything I could do. I didn’t miss any steps. I didn’t avoid anything. I think this is good.” He said.

In addition to reviewing Lee Yuan-chun’s testimony, the prosecutor also ruled in the “Decision on Non-Prosecution” that Wang Dan’s testimony and witnesses “cannot be adopted as evidence in favor of Wang Dan.” However, despite the prosecutor not believing Wang Dan, Wang still issued a statement saying, “I received a ’non-prosecution’ notice issued by the prosecutor for reasons such as ‘insufficient evidence’” - avoiding the prosecutor’s refutation of his own evidence and pointing to the other party’s insufficient evidence.

Apart from the strong stance, Wang Dan still attempted to add Lee Yuan-chun on Facebook. Lee mocked him publicly, “Mr Wang Dan, let’s part our ways here. Don’t try to add me as a friend on Facebook again.”

A year ago, Lee Yuan-chun recalled in a public statement that Wang Dan hugged him from behind in a hotel, forcefully kissed him, and then pushed him down on the bed and began to undress himself. In a panic, Lee said he had just had an anal surgery and asked Wang Dan not to continue to violate him. Since then, every year around June 4th, “[I] feel sick and have difficulty breathing when I see Wang Dan’s face and the way he speaks, relating to what he did to me.” Within one year, Lee Yuan-chun went from “trembling all over on the train when he saw the news that Wang Dan was going back to Taiwan to respond to the lawsuit” to “being able to calmly read how the other party defended themselves in the lawsuit”; from standing in the spotlight to hold press conferences to walking on the street without being recognized by passers-by. He said that he likes the ordinary and peaceful life now.

“Today, I can put this down and continue facing my new life,” he wrote.

Below is the conversation between NewNewsCN and Lee Yuan-chun:

NewNewsCN: The prosecutor only found the fact of forced kissing, but did not find it attempted rape. What do you think?

Lee Yuan-chun: I provided evidence and didn’t think about which ones would prove that he tried to rape me. I was only telling my experience to the public. I don’t know whether to be sad or happy about this result, but at least it means that there is part of the truth people are willing to believe in. This whole incident wasn’t my hallucination, and that was enough.

The prosecutor did not prosecute Wang Dan because of limitations of jurisdiction, but she still wrote a paragraph confirming that Wang Dan’s forceful kiss on me had occurred. The prosecutor did not need to write this paragraph, but she still emphasized this point. Although it was a very formal legal language, “it may be recognized that the defendant did violate the will of the complainant and forcefully kissed him”, everyone can understand that the prosecutor believed that sexual harassment did in fact exist.

NewNewsCN: How does judicial recognition differ to you from public recognition for you?

Lee Yuan-chun: It is a bit like being “anchored” and examined and verified by an independent, third-party, public, authoritative organization. Once it is determined that this incident did happen, it is no longer just my story, but a fact that the other person cannot avoid.

NewNewsCN: But the prosecutor only acknowledged part of the facts you presented. Do you feel helpless and regretful?

Lee Yuan-chun: I am more sympathetic to them. I know it is difficult for them to determine that it was attempted rape because I don’t have the corresponding evidence. I am very grateful to every investigator, especially since this is no longer a simple sexual harassment case, but also involves political factors such as democracy activists and the Chinese Communist Party. I know everyone has their own difficulties, and I believe everyone has tried their best.

NewNewsCN: As a victim and plaintiff, how can you still sympathize with the procuratorate?　　

Lee Yuan-chun: This is just my terrible personality. I don’t like giving other people a difficult time–even to Wang Dan, I only wanted him to apologize privately, because I understand that he’s not out of the closet as a public figure. There is some sort of historical weight. Even though he was the perpetrator, I was still considerate of him. At first, I gave him a way out, but he didn’t take it, and I can do nothing about that.

NewNewsCN: Due to lack of evidence, the procuratorate cannot confirm the fact of attempted rape you raised. The lack of evidence is not your fault, but you must bear the consequences. What do you think of this paradox?

Lee Yuan-chun: Sexual assault is like a black box. I don’t have any means to break it. It is impossible to ask the victims to bring a recorder with them all the time and keep the evidence; after the assault, the avoidant instinct also makes it hard for them to report to the police, and instead they usually bury it down to avoid it. It just so happened that my perpetrator is always commemorated on a specific date every year, so I joke that I will be “routinely triggered”.

As for how to make up for the fact that the judiciary is difficult to determine due to a lack of evidence, different institutions in Taiwan also have sexual harassment complaint and review mechanisms. In my case, the Gender Equality Education Committee of National Tsing Hua University conducted an investigation, including procedures such as cross-examination between both parties, and there are compulsory punishment mechanisms such as fines. I think it makes up for the fairness of the judiciary to a certain extent.

NewNewsCN: How do you feel after you complete the legal process?

Lee Yuan-chun: Many people are concerned about being falsely accused of sexual harassment, but I want to tell everybody with my own experience that accusing someone [of sexual harassment], especially someone with a higher status and much more famous, is very difficult. You have to prepare so much evidence, recount your experiences to so many people, face the scrutiny of institutions, and face the interrogations and attacks from the public. It’s really not that easy.

NewNewsCN: How has your life been this year?

Lee Yuan-chun: The following two months after I publicly accused Wang Dan was very chaotic. Many people care a lot about this case, and I suffered from a lot of attacks that said I’m a CCP spy. However, after I filed the case, the controversies decreased gradually. I don’t want to label or even glorify myself as “the person who accused Wang Dan of sexual harassment”.

Then I returned to my normal life, being myself in peace. I didn’t hide myself in public, and showed my face the entire time protesting in front of the legislative department. I spoke up on the truck, and a few people seemed to recognize me, but nothing happened. I felt happy about it, because I’m an ordinary person.