As soon as the Seoul office worker told police she had been raped, her attacker struck back with a barrage of complaints against her under South Korea's criminal defamation law, which states that truth is not necessarily a defence.
"He kept filing complaints against me non-stop, accusing me of defamation, insult, perjury, intimidation and even sexual harassment," said the woman, who asked to be identified only as "D" for fear of her personal safety.
"For months, I couldn't eat," she told AFP. "I couldn't drink. I couldn't sleep. I felt like I was trapped in a swamp I could never escape."
"Many abusers openly use the threats of lawsuits as an intimidation tactic, saying, 'I'll drop the false accusation and defamation suits against you if you drop the sex abuse complaint against me'."
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
You’ve reached your limit of 10 free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app