Huashan Grassland Murder: Unveiling Toxic Masculinity in Taiwan

May 18th was Duanwu, the Dragon Boat Festival (端午節), an early summer holiday in Taiwan to enjoy sticky rice dumplings with your family. However, instead of enjoying the holiday spirits, my girlfriends and I were haunted by the news of a brutal murder at the 120 Grassroots Self Autonomous Zone, an artist commune and gathering at a public grassland in Taipei that began just three months ago.

The murder case involves a 37-year-old archery teacher surnamed Chen, who strangled and dismembered a 30-year-old female student surnamed Kao after his unsuccessful attempt to sexually assault her. It was only Kao’s second encounter with Chen after taking his class for the first time a few days prior at 120 Grassroots.

What is left of the 120 Grassroots commune (from 120 Grassroots Facebook Page)

Are gender issues that difficult to see?

The reporting of the murder in most Taiwanese mainstream media either blames the Grassroots organizers’ reckless partying as the cause of the murder, or frame the murder as an isolated incident by a mentally ill, abnormal psychopath.

But this murder is far from being simply a freak episode in Taiwan. In the last two months, there had been three other similar incidents: a 28 year old man allegedly imprisoned his girlfriend before killing her and dismembering her remains, because she “was betrayed me by chatting with other men online”; another 27 year old man allegedly also killed his girlfriend because she was working at a hostess bar; and a 67 year old man is the prime suspect in yet another case of murder and dismemberment, this time of the man’s wife, three days after the two supposedly agreed to divorce.

With these incidents of men brutally killing women after having their advances rejected, are we really going to keep being blind to addressing violence against women as a gender issue?

There are several advocates online who points out the cultural phenomenon of dismissing gender perspectives.

Brian Hioe, editor of New Bloom describes, “unfortunately, given the conservatism of Taiwanese social morality in many cases, generally will be that those who look different or act different will be seen as more prone to antisocial behavior, as with artists or young people living alternative lifestyles. As such, they make a convenient scapegoat for conservative social morality which scarcely wishes to look itself in the mirror and deal with its own deep-seated misogyny.”

Maja Ho, Denmark born to Taiwanese parents and the founder of Moving Women Establishment (MOWES) says, “I think it is a cultural problem. None of the media is asking: why are men killing women who don’t want to sleep with them? None of them talk about that. From when you’re a little kid, as a woman you are taught that you are the problem. You cannot go out at night, you cannot wear sexy clothes, you have to obey the rules, otherwise there’ll be consequences and that’ll be on you.”

Sadly, perhaps the lack of gender awareness, education, and reinforcement of existing underlying misogyny by the media, most people in Taiwan remain confused and unable to address the root problem of toxic masculinity in the recent murder cases against women.

“No to Sexual Violence” (from Women’s March Taipei 2018)

Prevalence of Toxic Masculinity in Taiwan

Toxic masculinity is the socially-constructed masculine gender role that normalizes men’s violence against women. Traits of toxic masculinity includes dominance over women, sexual aggression, and expression of anger, which are all evident in the murder case at Grassroots.

“It is obvious that Chen feels that his masculinity is damaged when Kao rejected his attempt of sexual assault. He became angry and killed her to satisfy his toxic masculinity,” gender issues writer Hilda Wu (吳馨恩) shares on her Facebook post. She continues to address sexual violence caused by Chen’s toxic masculinity, “Chen’s behavior of trying to sexually assault Kao, sexually assaulting Kao’s dead body and cutting her body into pieces are all forms of sexual violence, which suggest men’s sexual dominance over women in the society (性宰制).”

Sexual violence, any sexual act or attempt of sexual activity without consent, is a severe issue that not only happened in the murder at Grassroots, but also in many people’s daily lives. Unfortunately, the public often treat sexual violence such as unwanted sexual contact, sexual harassment and rape as something we can make fun about. Rather than using the word for “sexual assault (性侵)” or “rape (強暴),” the word the media uses is “looking for fun,” (求歡) to describe Chen’s act of sexual assault.

Perhaps being “polite” and using common euphemisms are embedded in Taiwanese culture, but will we treat rape seriously when it is described as “looking for fun”?

There are too many women and girls who have experienced and are still combating sexual violence, and more broadly, gender dominance. I have a friend who is afraid to have physical contact with men since a stranger groped her breasts when she was in middle school. Another friend of mine was almost raped by her boss but none of the colleagues believed her. Even in the most prestigious university in Taipei, female students fear of being punished in class if they reject their professors’ sexual contact.

All these cases above are cases of sexual violence and sexual assault perpetrated by men. Men who feel they can touch, kiss, harass women without consent. Men who punish women if they speak up. Men who abuse their power because society favors them. Men who live in toxic masculinity.

(From MOWES’ Facebook Page)

Beyond Physical Injuries

Although these male perpetrators did not commit murder, but their impact on survivors of sexual violence and sexual assault goes beyond physical injuries. Trauma can leave them scared, ashamed, and possibly struggle with PTSD, anxiety and depression.

News that involves sexual violence against women, such as the dismemberment at Grassroots, may trigger memories of survivor’s past, resulting in flashbacks, panic attacks or helplessness, or cause fear to women in general. YuJun Ye, a participant of Grassroots’ events, shared that she sees horrible scenes of being strangled in her sleep on her Facebook post.

My girlfriend, a regular participant at Grassroots, also expressed her disgust and fear after learning about the news. “I talked to him [the murderer] before. I’ve been in the hut [where Kao was murdered],” she said, trembling. I can’t imagine what she is going through, because even I, as a women who rarely encounters sexual violence, am now scared of walking alone outside and starting to distrust men.

Fight toxic masculinity by respecting women differently

So what can we do to fight toxic masculinity to prevent sexual violence?

1. Join forces

These recent incidents that involves violence against women point to the larger patriarchal system that encourages toxic masculinity, resulting to sexual violence. Kao, an innocent women, was murdered. This may happen to you, your sister, mother or close friend. How many more sisters do we need to lose? We must unite to enforce gender education and address toxic masculinity to prevent future tragedies. We can choose to speak up for those that live in the fear of sexual violence, support and respect women hurt by toxic masculinity.

2. Speak up if you are ready

Women and our allies, if you are a survivor of sexual violence, or if you feel like you are living in the fear of toxic masculinity, we welcome you to share your feelings with us. You may choose to share publicly on social media, anonymously with #metootw, join women-only or sexual violence survivor-only support groups. You don’t have to speak up if you’re not ready. Remember to take time to heal and recover, reach out for support if you need to.

3. Treat women with respect

It doesn’t matter what someone is wearing or how they are acting. Sexual violence should not happen to anyone, anywhere. Men, please only attempt sexual conduct if there is consent, and respect women when they say no.

I hope that we can start from seeing toxic masculinity in the society and respecting women differently to truly build an environment where “women have the right to say no without being punished. No more violence, no more rape, no more death and cruel murder case,” as Vanessa Wang, the founder of Women Anonymous Reconnecting Mentally, shares in her video.

Resources for Emotional Support

If you are affected by the Huashan Grassland Murder, please know that you are not alone and that we support you. If your friend is triggered by recent disturbing news, here is how you can help. If you need help, you can also schedule counseling at Taipei Community Services Center – (02) 2836–8134.

If you need women focused support, here is a list:

• MOWES (Moving Women Establishment)
• Women’s March Taiwan
• W.A.R.M. (Women Anonymous Reconnecting Mentally)

(Feature photo by JJ Chen, from Women’s March Taipei 2018)