This is an extremely touching moment! And a moment that we are all proud of!” The first demonstration in Taiwan in support of the #MeToo Movement, which has become a global phenomenon, was held at the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall on April 21: “Go the Second Mile, #MeToo March, GOH Stands Behind You.” Around 2,000 people wore masks and marched under the hot sun around the CKS Memorial Hall for two kilometers. They were speaking out for every child and woman in Taiwan who has suffered from sexual assault and encouraging victims to tell their stories.

This year also marks the 30th anniversary of the Garden of Hope Foundation (GOH). So it was especially meaningful to return to the site where the starting line of the “Ten Thousand People Racing Against Child Prostitution on Huaxi Street” was located in 1993. Participants in the march gathered in Liberty Square at 9 a.m., and GOH CEO Chi Hui-jung kicked off the event, stating in her opening remarks that for 30 years GOH has worked hard on a number of issues, including saving underage girls from sexual exploitation, spearheading the anti-child prostitution movement, serving women who have been sexually assaulted, and shattering gender myths. Through its fight for reforms on gender justice, GOH has never been alone, receiving support from various people and organizations. However, it is regretful that there are forces of injustice at work that are destroying the support network for victims of sexual discrimination and sexual violence and preventing these victims from speaking out. So we must obtain justice for these victims and fight the systemic inequity in society, in particular in the judicial system and media. We must expose perpetrators, give victims sufficient support, and ensure that justice is carried out. Chi asked everyone to extend their index fingers to signify the number one, which symbolizes the One Billion Rising (OBR) Movement launched by women’s rights advocate Eve Ensler against sexual violence.

In order to crush gender and sexual violence, GOH asked all participants of the march to wear masks during the march. The march around CKS Memorial took around 40 minutes, and brought everyone back to the starting point. Back at the starting point, everyone was told to throw their marks into the air and shout the following slogans: “One, #MeToo March, we stand behind you”, “Two, remember the first seeds of hope and end sexual violence”, “Three, I will not be silent because it is not my fault”, “Four, stop blaming the victim”, “Five, my body my choice”, “Six, you are not alone for I am here”, “Seven, MeToo, With You”, and “ Eight, gender justice walks with me.” The shouting of these powerful messages brought the event to its climax.

Ms. Chi explained that the mask represents the gender branding each person has to carry, and throwing away the marks symbolizes the casting away of stereotypes and branding associated with gender and sexual harm. It also implies that every victim of gender/sexual violence and discrimination can be reborn with the support of society, and reach the “second mile” of this new life. Many countries have broken through these limits with their #MeToo movements by listening to the victims and exposing the perpetrators. But the #MeToo Movement has yet to take off in Taiwan, and the purpose of the march is to topple this metaphorical wall. Ms. Chi also expressed her hope that this #MeToo March will remind people of GOH’s determination and passion in fighting against child prostitution in the past. In order to refresh the memory of some people and allow others who did not take part in the historical event to learn about the anti-child prostitution movement, GOH set up a photography wall right in front of the main gate in Liberty Square, displaying the historical and memorable photos of the Ten Thousand Race. As a response to the current global #MeToo Movement, this march had special meaning because of its link to past movements that supported victims of sexual exploitation.

Ms. Chi invited the 2,000 participants to applaud and cheer themselves on for their act of valiance and participation and to thank those around them. She emphasized that the end of the march marks the beginning of a series of new promises from GOH to all women and children who have been victimized by sexual violence and gender violence. The clear message sent to women and children is: “You are not alone, and it is not your fault.”

Immediately after the march, a fair was held in Liberty Square to commemorate the 30th anniversary of GOH. Participants were not only from Taiwan but also the Philippines, the United States, Singapore, and China. Booths at the fair included a gender-based experience zone and an exhibition showing the achievements of GOH’s work. The experience zone included a section inviting men to wear high heels and pregnancy suits, a section for the V-Men action experience, a section on male emotions, and a section on OBR experiences. The achievement exhibition displayed the service programs of all GOH branch offices, including exhibits of photographs and paintings.

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