Taipei City Wanhua Police Station searched the Ximending BDSM gay bar "Commander D" on the 3rd. Because the police officers made inappropriate remarks during the ban, it triggered controversy over law enforcement and discrimination, and even the mayor Chiang Wanan publicly apologized. However, groups such as Taiwan Advance and city council candidates held a press conference in front of the Wanhua Precinct this morning, demanding an investigation into the three-year old disciplinary case involving the police officer surnamed Zhuang who was accused of "free prostitution" and demanding that the police announce the results of that year's investigation. However, the atmosphere was tense for a time because the police announced the evidence of "sex workers and sex trade" first. Finally, the focus turned to discussing the establishment of policies on sex workers and sex trade.
The Taiwan Progressive Group pointed out yesterday that Wanhua police officer surnamed Zhuang, who was punished for making inappropriate remarks when cracking down on gay bars, also made "verbal insults" and was involved in "free prostitution" ethics disputes when cracking down on foreign call girls three years ago. At that time, the Wanhua Branch only responded with "respect and no response." At that time, some members of Congress questioned the police officer Wanhua who was accused by the call center operator of having sex for free. The then police chief promised to find out within two weeks, but the outside world still does not know the results of the investigation. The Forward Group then threatened to go to the Wanhua Branch to hold a press conference at 9:30 this morning.
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However, after the Wanhua Branch checked the relevant evidence overnight, around 8 a.m. this morning, it first presented the news information of the relevant evidence, pointing out that the "prostitution and prostitution" incident that occurred that year (2023) was actually another police officer who had already been recorded a major demerit and transferred out of the jurisdiction, not the police officer named Zhuang. It had already been noted in the city council that it was a big mistake.
However, the progressive group and many city councilors such as Wang Zhenting and others still attended as scheduled. Wang Zhenting, a candidate for Wanhua City Council of Zhongzheng, said that in those years, in addition to accusing the police of not paying for consumption, the business owners also claimed that some people promised not to investigate in the short term. The police should explain how the relevant accusations were finally verified; if the report was wrong, they should publicly clarify for the police, and if it was true, they should be held accountable instead of "respecting the report".
Sunrise worker Guo Yuyu said that of course the police should investigate whether the police officers engaged in adultery, but the bar incident also highlighted society's prejudice against the sexual needs of the disabled. She also pointed out that after the amendment of the Social Order Maintenance Law in 2011, local governments could set up sex trade zones, but no county or city has implemented it so far, and called for a positive discussion of sex trade policies during the election.
Guo Peiyu, a candidate for director of Wanhua Fuminli and also a member of the RiRichun Association, said that RiRichun has promoted the issue of sexual rights for people with disabilities very early. In the past 30 years, we have seen that both public and private prostitutes will accept clients with physical or mental disabilities. Because it is difficult for them to find sexual outlets in ordinary mainstream marriages or intimate relationships. Therefore, the police officers’ discriminatory remarks reflect society’s general incomprehension, discrimination, and even witch-hunting towards people with disabilities.
Yao Huiyao, who currently serves as the chairman of the Sex Industry Labor Rights Promotion Association, believes that under the current system, the police have a high degree of enforcement power, and the power of sex workers and law enforcement officers is unequal. The central and local governments should re-examine the way the sex industry is governed.
