Vulnerable Victims

   In April 2016, a brutal murder occurred in Ansan, Korea. In the aftermath of this case, controversy arose as to whether the identity of the offender should be disclosed. Indeed, we have to become aware of the controversies regarding the exposure of personal information. The human rights issue is not only a significant problem for offenders but also their victims. Unfortunately, victims of crime have had their human rights overlooked for a long time. Just how vulnerable are they?

Violation of Victims’ Human Rights

   Infringements regarding a victim’s identity happen whilst the crime is still fresh in our memories. Even though a  victim's personal information should not be released to the public, it often, regrettably, is – this is the reality they face. Victims and their families often suffer serious negative effects due to this exposure. The Korean Government thus enacted "The Protection Law for Crime Victims",  but despite this strict regulation for improvement, violations of victims' human rights still occur frequently.

<Cases of Infringement>

Release of Personal Identity by Careless Police Officers

   In January 2016, a sensitive issue occurred when an executive police officer disclosed personal information about a victim to the media. While briefing the media on a hostage situation, the officer revealed the personal details of the victim to the media, which was totally based on the suspect's point of view. This officer was later disciplined by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea and resigned from his commission of his own accord. This sort of carelessness should never happen again.

Release of Personal Identity By Sensational Media Reports

   In October 2015, a woman invited to the Busan International Film Festival was caught on a hidden camera while taking a shower. Following this incident, many media outlets released the personal details of the victim, such as her real name, facial pictures, profile and etc., in order to attract the curiosity of the public and raise the hit rate. Though the victim requested that her personal details be removed from the public sphere, the damage had already been done. This situation solely originated from the media outlets’ pursuit of profits, and as a result, the victim suffered secondary problems caused by the leakage of her personal information. These kinds of report should be rooted out and removed.

Cyber Tailing by Netizens

   In June 2016, a famous singer was charged with sexual assault. This incident was exacerbated when some netizens tried to track down the victim’s personal information on the internet. They even posted some pictures of unrelated women on their SNS, as if they were the victim of the crime. Though the pictures uploaded online were not of the victim, such cyber tailing by netizens is a clear violation of the victim’s human rights and might lead to psychological issues for the victim.

<The Importance of Protecting Human Rights>

   Crime victims often suffer from physical pain and psychological trauma. When they are not protected from an additional violation of their human rights, they find themselves unable to go about their daily lives and often live in a state of constant fear. In order to become more thoughtful towards the victims of crime, we should all firstly think of ourselves as potential victims. Hence, we have to identify the kind of problems crime victims would face should their personal details be leaked to the publics. The following  are examples of the additional damage caused by identity disclosure.

Threat of Reprisal

   In October 2015, Kim was raped by an acquaintance who was subsequently jailed. Unexpectedly, however, she received threatening phone calls from the assailant's father. It turned out that the rapist’s father could thumb through certain documents and find the victim's personal information, including her phone number, when he visited the court. The court was at pains to admit its fault in this matter, and thus, no investigation was launched to find out who was responsible for leaking this information. This case is a stark reminder that leaking a victim’s personal details to the public can lead to retaliatory attacks on the victim by those close to the criminal.

Sexual Assault Case Remembered as Victim's Name

   In May 2016, three residents of Heuksando sexually assaulted a female teacher. The incident came to known as the "Schoolmistress Sexual Assault Incident." Public opinion agreed that it was wrong to make the victim’s name public because the name must remain a haunting memory. This is not the only case. Most cases in Korea that have shocked the entire nation are named after the victim. The criminals' names, however, slip from people’s memory. This is absolutely an odd situation. A child sex scandal 'Na-yeong case', which occurred in 2008, is a typical example.

   When crime happens, as a society, we have focused on the discussion of criminal punishment. However, what's more important, but more easy to overlook, is the personal protection of the victims. Crimes happen every day in every city and anybody could become a victim. How would you like to be protected?

이준  junei95@naver.com

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