Civic Groups Warn of Loopholes in Child Work Permit System, Fear Mickey Huang Could Still Access Minors

(CNA, Taipei, May 20, by reporter Chen Chih-chung) Several civic groups, including the Humanistic Education Foundation, pointed out today that the proposed "Child and Youth Work Permit" system by the Ministry of Health and Welfare still has many loopholes. For example, in the case of entertainer Mickey Huang, who was convicted under the Personal Data Protection Act which carries a heavier penalty, his crime was not listed as sexual exploitation, meaning he could potentially still work with children and youths in the future. Feng Chiao-lan, CEO of the Humanistic Education Foundation; Lee Jinglei, initiator of the "Establish a Child Work Permit System" petition; Tseng Ying-fan, executive director of the "Parents Who Can't Teach" Action Alliance; Pan Ju-pi, secretary-general of the "Give Us Back Our Characteristic Parks" Action Alliance; and Yang Tzu-ying, chairperson of the Taiwan Youth Association for Democracy, held a joint press conference today to identify several loopholes in the Ministry's current draft. Feng cited several recent cases of child abuse, warning that loopholes in the draft could still allow perpetrators to access minors. For instance, entertainer Mickey Huang violated both the Sexual Exploitation Prevention Act and the Personal Data Protection Act but was sentenced under the latter due to its heavier penalty. This means Huang's conviction is not for sexual exploitation, and according to the Ministry's draft, he might still be able to work with children in the future. Additionally, the perpetrator in the "Museum Uncle" case was convicted in the first instance on 14 counts, including forcible sexual intercourse with a child, indecent assault, and filming sexual images. However, the current draft's scope for child and youth workers only covers "education, care, and training," excluding museums. Feng believes that categories such as "service, recreation, and religion" should be added to prevent such perpetrators from accessing minors. Lee Jinglei urged the government to refer to Australia's system, which includes individuals during their trial period to prevent defendants from accessing minors, rather than waiting for a final conviction. Lee also mentioned that while Mickey Huang has received public attention, "there are thousands and thousands of other Mickey Huangs whom we don't know." She hopes that public pressure can push for a more comprehensive system, so the safety of Taiwan's children no longer depends on luck. Tseng Ying-fan stated that parents' concerns about the work permit extend beyond schools or cram schools to all environments where children have frequent contact, including school buses, swimming pools, camps, and even department store playgrounds and corporate-sponsored "little store clerk" events. Tseng argued that the child work permit system's scope should be defined based on the frequency and type of contact with minors, providing event organizers with a clear legal basis to require relevant workers to present certification. (Editor: Wu Suh-jou)