Recently in the city of Ulsan, a local man was fined for entering a women’s bathroom. Prosecutors cited the Special Sex Crimes Law in their case, which aims to prevent sexually related crimes and protect those who have been victims. Netizens criticized the case for diverting attention from serious sexual harassment, which, according to a January government report, is reported to the police only in 1.1% of cases. Other comments pointed out that women also mistakenly enter men’s bathrooms, and female cleaning staff sometimes make comments to men while they are working.
From The Kukmin Daily:
A peek into a women’s bathroom can lead to a million won fine
A court has announced that under the Special Sex Crimes Law, a male entering a female bathroom can be fined one million won.
On the 24th, the Ulsan District Court sentenced office worker Mr. A under the Special Act on Punishment for Crimes of Sexual Violence (invasion of public spaces for sexual purposes). His punishment includes a one million won fine and 40 hours in a sexual violence treatment program.
Last year, Mr. A was indicted for entering the women’s bathroom in an apartment complex just after exiting the men’s bathroom, allegedly to satisfy his sexual urges.
The prosecution stated that “while the defendant claims that it is not true he entered the women’s bathroom, the woman inside the bathroom at that time testified that a part of his body had crossed the entrance and moved inside.”
Also, “Even though the defendant denies that there was no intent to fulfill sexual desires, in light of his behavior and the account [given by the witness], we cannot accept his story.”
According to the court, “The nature of this offense violates the sense of peace and comfort in a public women’s restroom. Considering he ran away upon being discovered at the bathroom entrance and he lacks a criminal record, we have decided a fine would be the most appropriate punishment.”
Due to the possibility of further criminal behavior, the court also included a sexual violence treatment program in the punishment.
Comments from Naver:
zxzk****:
And what about women who go into the men’s bathroom?
212a****:
A little later this comment section will become a battlefield.
love****:
I really hate cleaning ladies. Those ladies who keep staring while I take a piss. Sometimes they giggle too, so should I sue them? So annoying. Can’t those kinds of ladies also be satisfying their sexual urges? What an annoying article to see as I start my morning.
dad7****:
Why not fine men 100,000 won if they just brush up against sanitary pads in the convenience store as well?
ghdd****:
If a man goes into the women’s bathroom, it’s harassment, but if a woman goes into the men’s room, it’s a mistake… Does that make any fucking sense?
kika****:
Society turning men into pushovers.
kks1****:
I haven’t really been one to make malicious comments but this is ridiculous. Older ladies just smile and come into the men’s bathroom whenever the women’s bathroom is full. The men’s side has urinals out in the open so there’s a high probability of being exposed! Did you think it didn’t piss us off? Before calling for gender equality, let’s do a better job.
clyd****:
So if a woman goes even a little bit into the men’s bathroom, it’ll be also a million won, right?
pilo****:
Now even if you hear a cry for help from a women’s washroom, men shouldn’t go inside. The law will only change after some woman gets killed.
huuu****:
Even though I’m a woman too… this seems like it’s too much. It could’ve been a mistake. We don’t know if he was maybe looking for someone. For goodness sake, don’t make useless laws like this. Just focus on improving the life of common people… It’s not like the guy who went into the bathroom harmed any women ㅡㅡ It’s almost pathetic that I have to breathe and live in this kind of Korea.
xkrl****:
Let’s get some cleaning men for bathrooms!
h2ok****:
If a woman accidentally goes into the wrong bathroom, it’s a mistake, but if a man does it, he gets fined.
dmc0****:
At places like rest stops or movie theaters, some women waiting for their turn in the bathroom just go into the men’s room, and whenever that happens do you know how embarrassed the men get? Why is there only a fine for men going into the women’s bathroom??
gun0****:
Let’s say you went into a women’s bathroom by mistake and some girl screams that you’re a sex criminal. Wouldn’t you run away too ㅡㅡ Obviously, it’s just a mistake.
zzan****:
Aren’t you allowed to just go through the door by mistake?
ths1****:
Should we sue the cleaning ladies in the men’s room?
neod****:
I’m a woman but this just doesn’t seem right.. How do they know he wanted “to satisfy his sexual urges”? It could’ve just been a mistake.. The women’s bathroom isn’t an open-style bathroom anyway. All you could really see is someone washing her hands. I’ve seen this a few times, and the man gets embarrassed and runs away, so I just laugh it off as just another strange event..ke ke. I’m saying that we need to increase punishments for actual sex crimes, not this type of thing.
