South Korean Woman Sentenced To 10 Months for Fighting Molester, Acquitted After 61 Years
Choi Mal-ja, convicted 61 years ago for biting her attacker's tongue, was acquitted after a retrial recognized her act as justifiable self-defense, marking a major victory for victims of sexual violence in South Korea.
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- From: India News Bull
Activists see this landmark ruling as a breakthrough for sexual violence victims seeking justice.
After more than six decades, Choi Mal-ja, a South Korean woman, has been officially exonerated when a court overturned her conviction from 1961, BBC reports. When she was just 18, Choi received a 10-month prison sentence for inflicting serious bodily harm by biting off a portion of her assailant's tongue during what she described as a sexual assault. Her 21-year-old attacker was given a milder six-month sentence for trespassing and intimidation, but never faced attempted rape charges.
Following extensive advocacy efforts fueled by the #MeToo movement, Choi's case was brought before the Busan District Court for a retrial, according to media sources. Prosecutors offered an apology and requested her name be cleared. The court determined that her actions constituted legitimate self-defense, recognizing that biting the man's tongue was necessary to escape his assault.
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Choi expressed that the original case had transformed her from a victim into a defendant and voiced profound relief at finally being declared innocent. She expressed gratitude to her supporters while criticizing those who "abused their power and manipulated the law." This ruling represents a significant advancement for sexual violence survivors in South Korea, highlighting that defensive actions taken by women will now receive greater understanding and recognition.
Choi intends to pursue a civil lawsuit seeking compensation. Her case is frequently referenced throughout South Korea as an illustration of past judicial failures in protecting sexual violence victims. Recent similar cases have likewise acknowledged biting an attacker's tongue as valid self-defense.