The Enforcement of Intimate Image Offences and the Effectiveness of Victim Services in Taiwan: A Qualitative Study Using Reflexive Thematic Analysis

(1) Background: The non-consensual dissemination of intimate images constitutes a severe form of online gender-based violence (OGBV) that inflicts profound harm on victims' sexual privacy, psychological well-being, and social functioning. Taiwan enacted comprehensive legislative reforms in 2023—commonly referred to as the "Four Acts on Sexual Violence Prevention"—to strengthen criminal responses and expand victim protection mechanisms. However, the extent to which these reforms have translated into effective frontline practice remains insufficiently examined. (2) Methods: This qualitative study employed reflexive thematic analysis to investigate frontline professionals' experiences with enforcing intimate image offence legislation and delivering victim support services. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 20 practitioners—including social workers, police officers, prosecutors, and lawyers—between August and November 2024. (3) Results: Three superordinate themes emerged across macro, meso, and micro structural levels. At the macro level, limited public awareness and persistent victim-blaming attitudes undermine prevention and reporting. At the meso level, legislative fragmentation, digital evidence challenges, and inter-agency coordination gaps constrain enforcement capacity. At the micro level, procedural delays, risks of secondary victimization, and perceived inadequacies in compensation mechanisms weaken victims' trust in institutional responses. (4) Conclusions: While Taiwan's legislative reforms represent a significant institutional advancement, legal reform alone is insufficient to address digital sexual violence effectively. Comprehensive responses require integrated public education initiatives, enhanced inter-agency coordination, strengthened digital investigation capacity, and trauma-informed victim protection practices across all structural levels.