Development of Drug Detection Technology... Government Takes Proactive Measures Against New Types of Sexual Crimes

First Basic Plan for Prevention of Violence Against Women Reviewed and Confirmed
Composed of 15 Related Ministries and Private Committee Members

Establishment of Hotline for Stalking and Dating Violence Victims
Support from Counseling, Legal, Medical to Self-Reliance

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] AI-based illegal video blocking technology capable of proactively responding to new types of violence against women will be developed and distributed. Additionally, drug detection technology to address drug-facilitated sexual crimes will also be developed.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family announced on the 20th that it held the Women’s Violence Prevention Committee at the Government Seoul Office and reviewed and finalized the 1st Basic Plan for Women’s Violence Prevention Policy. The committee is a policy review and coordination body established based on the Women’s Violence Prevention Act, consisting of 15 related ministries and private members. It is an evolution of the 'Intergovernmental Council for the Eradication of Sexual Harassment, Sexual Violence, and Digital Sexual Crimes,' which has been operating since March 2018.

This basic plan sets the realization of a gender-equal society through the eradication of violence against women as its core value and establishes three main policy goals: proactive response to violence against women, system specialization, and strengthening the foundation for eradication policies. To achieve this, 14 policy tasks will be jointly promoted by related ministries by 2024.

Specifically, stalking and dating violence cases will be addressed promptly on-site by activating dedicated task forces (TFs), and direct hotlines will be established to protect victims’ safety. Investigators and support personnel will be trained to prevent secondary damage, and measures to prevent recurrence will be strengthened. To enhance victim support, sexual harassment and violence prevention and victim support systems will be reinforced according to the characteristics of each sector, including education, culture, arts, sports, public, and private sectors. Furthermore, counseling, legal, and medical support services for victims will be solidified, and support for victims’ independence after experiencing harm will be expanded.

Alongside this, amendments to the 'Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles Against Sexual Abuse' will be pursued to eradicate online sexual exploitation of children and adolescents and to protect youths involved in prostitution. Sexual violence crimes infringing on rights will be defined as violations of sexual self-determination rights to clarify protected legal interests, and related laws will be revised to strengthen penalties for sexual violence crimes against children and adolescents.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family plans to establish annual implementation plans and conduct regular progress checks to ensure the finalized basic plan is faithfully executed. Minister Lee Jung-ok stated, "We will do our best to systematically promote women’s violence prevention policies reflecting regional characteristics in cooperation with local governments."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.