Ministry of Gender Equality and Family "Supporting Over 50 Victims of Digital Sexual Violence Including n-Banbang"

Concerns Over Disclosure of Personal Information Leading to Differences from Actual Number of Victims
Online Gender Sensitivity Education Conducted in Collaboration with Ministry of Education
Lee Jung-ok: "We Will Be a Trustworthy Companion Partner for Victims"

Minister Lee Jung-ok of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family / Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] The Korea Women's Human Rights Institute under the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family announced on the 1st that it is currently supporting about 50 victims related to Telegram, including the 'Nth Room' and 'Doctor's Room' cases.

Park Bongjeongsook of the Korea Women's Human Rights Institute stated at the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family e-briefing held at the Government Seoul Office that "the number of victims supported by the Digital Sexual Crime Victim Support Center differs from the actual known number of victims (about 70)," adding, "It may be that victims are unable to contact due to anxiety and fear of personal information disclosure and distribution, or because the center is not sufficiently known to the public." She continued, "Victims most frequently report harm related to distribution," and added, "We are making active efforts to delete such content."

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family announced that it has formed and started operating a special support team to assist victims of digital sexual crimes, including the Telegram Nth Room case. Minister Lee Jungok said, "We have been striving to establish a response system for digital sexual crimes and to become a trustworthy partner accompanying the victims," emphasizing, "We plan to mobilize all capabilities to take full responsibility for and support victims from beginning to end so that they can regain hope in life without fear."

If digital sexual crime victims request support through the 24-hour Women's Emergency Call 1366 or the Digital Sexual Crime Victim Support Center, the special support team provides free services such as rapid deletion, in-depth psychological treatment, counseling and investigation, and personal information changes. In the case of minors, rapid deletion support is possible without parental consent. Emergency investigations or urgent medical support are also available, and the legal support team consists of about 80 members.

Additionally, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family plans to conduct online education to raise gender sensitivity for the prevention of digital sexual crimes before and after school openings in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. Hwang Yoonjung, Director of the Ministry’s Rights Promotion Bureau, explained, "Sexual violence prevention education, which is a legal obligation, will be conducted earlier in the first half of the year once schools open," adding, "We will distribute the digital sexual crime prevention lecture materials developed last year for elementary, middle, and high schools so that education offices can use them."

Director Hwang said, "To strengthen teacher capabilities, digital sexual crime topics will be included in sexual violence prevention education during job training courses, and considering the seriousness of new types of digital sexual crimes, prevention or response guidelines for child and adolescent guardians will also be prepared." The Ministry is developing standard gender-sensitivity education lecture materials for cross-curricular or subject classes in collaboration with the Institute for Gender Equality Education Promotion.

※ If you experience difficulties such as illegal filming or distribution of photos or videos, threats using such materials, or sexual harassment in cyberspace, you can receive support from the Women's Emergency Call 1366 or the Digital Sexual Crime Victim Support Center (02-735-8994).

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