Taiwanese Court Awards Damages After Army Husband’s Affair
A recent ruling by the Miaoli District Court in Taiwan has reignited debates about marital fidelity and the legal rights of betrayed spouses. The case centred on a woman, referred to as the lawful wife, who sued her husband, an army serviceman known as Mr Awie (a pseudonym), and his lover, Ms Ayao (pseudonym), for causing the collapse of her marriage and inflicting significant emotional harm.
The court found that Mr Awie and Ms Ayao engaged in an improper relationship between October and December 2023, only a few months after the husband’s marriage in June 2023. During this time, they frequently exchanged intimate messages, schedules, and selfies, with affectionate terms like “baby” used in their conversations. They even made suspicious money transfers with flirty notes and set each other as emergency contacts under the label “partner” — behaviour far beyond mere friendship.
The betrayed wife discovered explicit conversations where Ms Ayao described their sexual encounters in graphic detail, saying things like she felt “full” and compared the experience to previous partners. These shocking exchanges were uncovered by the wife when she checked her husband’s phone and chat logs, prompting her to file for damages of NT$600,000 (around S$25,000).
Defendants Claimed It Was a Joke, But Court Disagreed
In their defence, both Mr Awie and Ms Ayao insisted that the explicit chats were just jokes and denied having a sexual relationship. Ms Ayao further argued that she did not know Mr Awie was married at the time. However, the court noted multiple pieces of evidence indicating that Ayao knew about the marriage and still chose to continue the affair, undermining her claim of ignorance.
The judge ruled that the relationship between the pair had clearly crossed the line of ordinary social interaction, constituting a serious infringement of the wife’s spousal rights. The ruling emphasised that marriage is built upon mutual trust and honesty, and any wilful destruction of this foundation through infidelity is grounds for compensation.
Court Orders Joint Compensation for Emotional Distress
Taking into account the extent of emotional damage suffered by the wife and the financial standing of both parties, the court ordered Mr Awie and Ms Ayao to pay a combined sum of NT$300,000 (about S$13,000) to the wife as emotional distress compensation. The amount will accrue interest of 5% per annum from January 14, 2025, until full payment is made.
Although the wife initially sought double the awarded sum, the court determined that NT$300,000 was a fair and reasonable amount given the circumstances. The remaining claims were dismissed.
This case has sparked intense online discussions about infidelity, trust, and the legal recourse available to spouses who experience betrayal. Many netizens expressed support for the wife, saying she deserved justice for the pain she endured, while others debated whether damages alone could ever truly compensate for a broken marriage.