An incident on the crowded Mass Rapid Transit platform of Taipei Main Station last Tuesday involving an unknown man who squirted an unidentified fluid at a female passenger has raised general concerns about sexual harassment on the MRT.
Song Ching-wu, deputy chief of the Taipei City Police Department Rapid Transit Division, noted on Monday that the suspect has not been found as there are an average of 1.1. million commuters taking the MRT every day. He added that the woman herself did not know which passenger squirted the liquid on her leg.

"We think that the fluid splashed on the victims leg is not semen, and tests are still being carried out to determine exactly what was squirted on the passenger," Song said.

Song urged victims of sexual harassment not to appease attackers, noting that as victims sometimes choose to forgive attackers after receiving an apology or just to keep their suffering private, some attackers escape punishment and are given another chance to molest others.

According to a Chinese-language newspaper, a total 53 sexual harassment cases which occurred at MRT stations were reported in the last five years, with most of the harassment happening on crowded stations during rush hour. Most of the suspects were 20 to 40 years old, and only a few suffer from mental disorders, the report disclosed.

The report also noted that 14 of the arrested sexual attackers have good educational backgrounds and gainful employment. Among them were a junior high school teacher, a professional engineer and a Taipei City Government official.

According to the report, an elementary school teacher surnamed Chi last September fondled the breasts of a female passenger who fell asleep in the train. A public servant surnamed Lee was caught touching a victims ass.

Moreover, in April of last year another suspect, surnamed Lin, touched a passengers breasts and afterwards yelled, "You dress as a prostitute. Why are you afraid to be touched by men!"

Song did not confirm the report, citing that such information about suspects in sexual harassment cases is confidential. However, he stressed that sexual harassment cases usually occurred during rush hour.

Explaining why many people chose to commit sexual harassment during rush hour, Song stressed, "Suspects always use being in a crowd as a pretext for touching females body, legs or breasts and claimed that they bumped into victims accidentally." Song added that some commit sexual harassment when they see females who are typical objects in their sexual fantasies.

Sufficient monitors are set up at MRT stations to protect women from sexual attack, Song stressed, warning people not to be rude.