A local court has recognised misogyny as a motive for a hate crime, its spokesperson said, a decision activists hailed as a breakthrough for women’s rights.
The ruling was made in connection to a case where a convenience store worker was attacked by a man shouting “feminists deserve to be beaten” because she had short hair.
The Changwon District Court on Tuesday upheld the assailant’s three-year jail term – and added a clause in its ruling that explicitly stated the crime was motivated by misogyny.
The assailant, who was in his 20s, committed the crime “based on unfounded hatred and prejudice against women, which constitutes a condemnable motive for the offence,” the court ruled, a spokesperson said yesterday.
The verdict cannot be appealed, he added.
The victim lost hearing in her left ear after the attack and has been unemployed, according to activists supporting her.
The victim’s lawyer welcomed the decision, saying it paved the way for a safer country for women.
“So far, I personally have not seen cases where the court has explicitly identified misogyny as a condemnable motive for a crime,” said Lee Gyeong-ha, the victim’s lawyer.
“Many perpetrators claim, ‘I don’t hate women; I just hate feminists’.
“This ruling is significant because it clarifies saying things like ‘feminists deserve to be beaten’ is also rooted in misogyny.”
While South Korea is a leading technological power and major pop culture exporter, it remains a socially conservative society with a poor record on women’s rights.
Women’s activists in South Gyeongsang province, where the crime occurred, described Tuesday’s ruling as a “historic moment”.
“Misogynistic crimes that have not been adequately punished in court have reinforced gender stereotypes, hindered gender equality,” said Lee Gyeong-ork of the Gyeongnam Women’s Association.
But Tuesday’s ruling “has established a framework for legally punishing misogynistic criminals”, she added. — AFP
