Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Seeks Alternatives for Sexual Violence Victim Testimonies Without Court Appearance Linked to Sunflower Centers

Discussion on the Role of Sunflower Centers and Legislative Directions to Minimize Harm Following the Constitutional Ruling on the Evidentiary Validity of Child and Adolescent Sexual Violence Victims' Testimony Videos

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Following the constitutional court ruling declaring the special provision on recorded video testimonies of child and adolescent sexual violence victims unconstitutional, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family (MOGEF) is discussing a plan to allow testimonies without court appearances in cooperation with Sunflower Centers.

MOGEF announced that it will hold a Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence Subcommittee meeting of the Women’s Violence Prevention Committee at the Government Seoul Office on the 28th.

At the subcommittee meeting, discussions will focus on the role of Sunflower Centers and legislative directions to minimize the anticipated harm caused by the constitutional ruling on the evidentiary validity of recorded video testimonies of child and adolescent sexual violence victims.

MOGEF will primarily discuss ways to connect Sunflower Centers with the courts so that child and adolescent sexual violence victims can provide testimony without appearing in court.

Sunflower Centers are institutions that provide integrated services such as counseling, medical care, legal assistance, and investigative support to victims of sexual violence, domestic violence, and sex trafficking, operating at 39 locations nationwide.

In 2021, Sunflower Centers supported 27,434 victims, marking a 15% increase compared to the previous year. MOGEF has increased nursing staff at Sunflower Centers and expanded the operational budget by 11% compared to the previous year.

While Sunflower Centers have mainly been established within hospitals, starting this year, support will be provided to set up centers outside hospital premises if necessary. MOGEF is also consulting with the Ministry of Health and Welfare on awarding additional points for sexual violence victim support activities during evaluations of regional public hospitals.

Kim Kyung-sun, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, stated, "We understand there are significant concerns about secondary harm to child and adolescent sexual violence victims at the field level due to the constitutional ruling on provisions related to the Sexual Violence Punishment Act. We will work with relevant ministries and experts to devise response measures to ensure that child and adolescent sexual violence victims are protected during investigations and trials."

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