ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the nature of child prostitution in Taiwan by reviewing research findings and case studies done by concerned professionals. It describes the origins of the practice in the prostitution industry and the Chinese patriarchal family. The island prostitution industry was further strengthened during the colonial period. The women’s emancipation movement, which had started in Mainland China in the early 1920s, also influenced legal reforms against the practice of prostitution in Taiwan. Child prostitution as an institution is fundamentally caused by the interplay of the old cultural heritage and modern capitalism developed in Taiwan. Numerous media reports have explored the facts that the male prostitution industry is flourishing helped by sufficient inflows of supply and demand. The modern Republic of China (ROC) law in Taiwan has functioned with a specific nature created to respond to its unique political, economic and social situations. As a result, ROC law has had limited controls over the practice of child prostitution.
