TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A Taichung elementary school baseball coach has been detained on suspicion of sexually abusing students.
Explicit videos were discovered on the coach's phone, with 25 known student victims and an estimated total that could reach hundreds. The victims include students from second to sixth grade and ones that have graduated, per CNA.
Victims said the coach forced them to participate in inappropriate sexual behavior and threatened to exclude them from the team if they did not comply. The coach took videos to coerce the children into silence.
Parents of two victims spoke out on Tuesday, sharing how changes in their children's behavior led to the discovery of the harassment.
Taichung Education Bureau Commissioner Chiang Wei-min (蔣偉民) said the school was alerted to the incident on Oct. 26. The students were separated from the coach, who was dismissed on Nov. 11.
When called in for questioning, the coach attempted suicide but survived.
The coach, previously convicted of child molestation in 2012, had been employed at the school for six years. The finding has sparked concerns about the school's hiring practices and the potential for numerous unreported victims.
Although the school conducted a background check on the coach in 2019, the database did not flag prior misconduct. However, a database update in 2021 included the coach’s criminal record, which the school allegedly failed to review.
If the school is found to have neglected periodic background checks, an investigation into the responsibilities of the school and its staff will be initiated.
City government, police, and prosecutors are currently investigating the case. The Education Bureau has directed the school to broaden its inquiry and offer victim counseling services.
All schools are now required to perform comprehensive background checks on their staff. The sexual harassment case will proceed independently of the criminal investigation, Chiang said.
The school said it is providing counseling to the victims. It apologized to the victims and their families and said the coach would face disciplinary action through administrative procedures.
