HIV-Positive School Bus Driver Charged with Sexual Assault, Five Confirmed Infected; Ministry Urges Victims to Seek Help

Central News Agency Report (Reporter: Shen Pei-Yao, Taipei, December 13)

A school bus driver in central Taiwan, infected with HIV, has been indicted on charges of violating sexual autonomy, with five individuals confirmed infected across three municipalities. The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) emphasized today that sexual violence takes many forms—not only physical force but also manipulation through religious authority, power dynamics, or psychological control—and urged victims to bravely seek help.

The MOHW's Protection Services Division issued a press release this afternoon stating that after a sexual assault case is reported, a coordinated response mechanism involving social welfare, public health, and law enforcement agencies is activated. Services provided to victims include emergency shelter, forensic medical examinations, psychological counseling, legal aid, accompaniment during police interviews, and support throughout judicial proceedings.

Director Kuo Tsai-Jung of the Protection Services Division told the media that sexual violence manifests in various ways. Beyond physical violence, it may involve abuse of power through religious authority, psychological manipulation, exploitation of trust or dependency, or other unequal relationships that compromise a victim's autonomy. Any act that violates personal consent or infringes upon sexual self-determination must not be justified or minimized.

She urged potential victims and those aware of such incidents to come forward and report. If individuals or their loved ones experience sexual assault, they can call the 24-hour, toll-free, year-round 113 Protection Hotline for assistance. The hotline offers professional consultation, reporting, and referral services, and can help initiate follow-up protective measures.

The case originated at the end of last year when a local health authority in central Taiwan received a report of an HIV-positive individual. During epidemiological investigation, officials noticed that multiple confirmed cases had contact with the same person. Further investigation revealed suspected sexual assault, prompting the health authority to proactively report the case to social services, police, and prosecutors. The prosecutor concluded the investigation and indicted the suspect on charges including aggravated sexual assault causing serious injury. To date, five individuals have been confirmed infected in connection with this case. (Editor: Li Heng-Shan)