TAIPEI, TAIWAN — Netizens in Taiwan are questioning why a college student won’t leave her middle-aged foreign boyfriend, after footage of him beating her up in the street made the TV news.
The student is a 24-year-old woman surnamed Chen. Her boyfriend was described as a 40-year-old Canadian named “Dennis” who teaches English at a cram school, according to a report in Taiwan’s Apple Daily newspaper.
During what appeared to be a heated argument around midnight on Nov. 16, Chen crossed a major street in Taipei, followed by Dennis, who is then seen on surveillance camera knocking her to the ground and beating her.
Witnesses told Taiwan’s Chung T’ien Television that Dennis dragged her to side of the road to continue the assault. Apple Daily published photos of blood on a bag Chen had dropped.
Police arrived and broke up the altercation. They arrested Dennis and took him to the station for questioning. Chen was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
This is not the first time Dennis has been to the police station for abusing Chen, according to reports in the local media independently confirmed by TomoNews.
Chen's parents told police she wants to marry Dennis and will not press charges. Her parents said they can only give them their blessing.
Taiwanese newspapers covered the incident with headlines like “Taiwanese Girl gets knocked out by foreign boyfriend public, still wants to marry him,” and “True love?! Taiwanese girl gets knocked out by middle-aged foreign boyfriend.”
The Taiwanese media also referred to Chen as “western meal chick” (西餐妹), a derogatory term for an Asian woman who is predominantly attracted to western white males.
Under Taiwanese law, in non-domestic cases the aggressor can be pardoned by the victim or the victim’s family if they agree to a settlement.
