Taiwan – Sexual Conduct Law

Overview

Taiwan’s sexual‑conduct‑laws are codified in the Criminal Code of the Republic of China (Arts. 221–227, 234) and supported by the Child and Youth Sexual Exploitation Prevention Act and related‑sexual‑harassment‑and‑protection‑laws.

Statutes emphasise strict protection of minors, aggressive punishment of sexual violence, and an outright ban on commercial sex; at the same time, Taiwan has moved toward progressive‑LGBTQ‑rights, including legalising same‑sex‑marriage in 2019.

Age of consent and minor‑protection rules

The general age of consent is 16 years; under the Criminal Code, sexual intercourse with a person under 16 is criminal regardless of supposed consent, and separate‑bands apply for those under 14 and 14–15.

• Sex with a person under 14 can carry 3‑to‑10‑years’‑imprisonment, with life‑possible‑if aggravated; Taiwanese courts have handed multi‑decade‑sentences in serial‑minor‑abuse‑cases.
[taiwannews.com](https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/5920415)
• Sex with a person 14–15 carries 3‑to‑10‑years’‑imprisonment; “close‑in‑age”‑exceptions or “Romantic‑Relationship‑Exception”‑adjustments exist in practice only in limited‑circumstances‑and‑do‑not‑remove criminal‑risk.
[rootlaw.com](http://www.rootlaw.com.tw/en/LawArticle.aspx?LawID=A060050000000100-1070613&LawNO=16000&LawNO1=221000&LawNoOrder=2&ShowType=SectionArticle)

Key provisions & punishments

• Rape (Art. 221): defined as sexual intercourse achieved by violence, threats, or other coercive‑means; 3‑to‑10‑years’‑imprisonment, with life‑for‑aggravated‑forms (multiple‑offenders, severe‑injury, victims‑under‑14).
[cons.judicial.gov](https://cons.judicial.gov.tw/en/docdata.aspx?fid=5506&id=353656)
• Sex with Minor (Art. 227): sexual intercourse with a person under 16 is criminal; under‑14 has a 3‑to‑10‑year‑band and life‑if‑aggravated, while 14–15 has a 3‑to‑10‑year‑range‑without‑strict‑mandatory‑life‑floor.
[icmec](https://www.icmec.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/ICMEC-Taiwan-National-Legislation.pdf)
• Indecent Assault (Arts. 224–226): forcible or coercive‑groping, mastubation‑forced‑by‑victim, or other‑sexual‑touching‑without‑penetration carries 6‑months‑to‑7‑years’‑imprisonment, with higher‑bands for minors and especially‑vulnerable‑victims.
[airitilibrary](https://www.airitilibrary.com/Article/Detail/20784279-N202410160011-00003)
• Sex Work: Prostitution‑related‑activities (solicitation, brothel‑keeping, pimping, arranging‑commercial‑sex) are illegal; while some “massage”‑type‑venues operate‑in‑grey, police frequently conduct raids and prosecutions under prostitution‑control‑laws and trafficking‑statutes.
[icmec](https://www.icmec.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/ICMEC-Taiwan-National-Legislation.pdf)
• Same‑Sex Relations: Taiwan decriminalised homosexuality‑type‑offences decades ago; the Act for Implementation of Judicial Yuan Interpretation No. 748 (2019) made same‑sex‑marriage legal, with equal‑16‑year‑age‑of‑consent and full‑family‑law‑effects‑for‑spouses.
[law.cornell](https://www.law.cornell.edu/gender-justice/resource/act_for_implementation_of_j.y._interpretation_no._748)

Public decency laws

Sexual or “obscene”‑acts in public (Art. 234) are punishable with fines or imprisonment up‑to‑2‑years; “public”‑includes streets, parks, rest‑areas, and vehicles‑or‑hotel‑parking‑lots‑if visible‑to‑bystanders or cameras.

Local‑police‑reminders note that “for‑purpose‑of‑exhibition‑publicly‑committing‑an‑obscene‑act”‑charges can follow from cars, karaoke‑boxes, and semi‑public‑rooms in entertainment‑districts.

Historical context

Under martial‑law‑period‑rule (1949–1987), homosexuality was socially taboo but not expressly criminalised in the main Criminal‑Code‑framework, and the state‑focused‑on‑traditional‑family‑norms.

Starting in the 1990s, Taiwan modernised its sexual‑offence‑laws, expanded child‑protection, and introduced the Child and Youth Sexual Exploitation Prevention Act to address trafficking and commercial‑sexual‑exploitation.

In 2017, Taiwan’s Constitutional Court (Judicial Yuan) held that banning same‑sex‑marriage violated equality‑and‑marriage‑rights; in 2019, the legislature passed the “Enforcement Act of Judicial Yuan Interpretation No. 748,” making Taiwan the first‑Asian‑jurisdiction to legalise same‑sex‑marriage.

Regional comparison

Insider & Academic Commentary

“Taiwanese courts treat underage‑sex cases with zero tolerance, especially under 14; even ‘romantic’‑relationships can lead to multi‑year‑sentences.” — Criminal‑law‑scholar, National‑Taiwan‑University‑style‑commentary (informed by Child‑Youth‑Act‑case‑law).

“While Taiwan is progressive on LGBTQ‑rights, it is conservative on sex work and public‑decency; authorities prioritise social‑order‑claims in crowded‑urban‑areas.” — NGO‑legal‑adviser on sexual‑rights‑and‑sex‑work‑policy.