After woman fights off rapist in building lobby, landlady evicts her because “beauty leads to trouble”
A woman was evicted from her rented apartment in Taichung City last month, after a man attempted to rape her in the lobby, and the landlord decided that being too beautiful is troublesome.
At around 1:00am February 18, Ms Lee, 40, was returning home after enjoying a night out with friends, when a man attempted to follow her into an elevator from the lobby of a building in Taichung City’s South district.
Feeling uncomfortable being closely followed the man, Lee told him to leave her alone.
The man, since identified as Zhang, 47, then grabbed Ms Lee by the arm and dragged her out of the elevator, pushing her to the ground, and attempted to undress her.
Lee resisted and fought with Zhang for around 10 minutes, according to media reports, including Apple Daily. Security monitor footage shows Lee fighting hand and foot with the perpetrator as he attempts to pull her dress up and remove her underwear.
During the brutal assault, Zhang is seen pulling Lee’s hair, and sitting on top of her. However, after around 10 minutes of resistance, the assailant, appearing exhausted, finally desists and leaves.
Ms Lee called the police to report the incident, and as Zhang attempted to leave the building, the security guard, noticing him covered in blood, looking indignant, and obviously not a tenant of the building, blocked Zhang’s exit and also called the police.
Ms Lee suffered bruises to her left cheek, and the back of her head, and cuts and scratches to her arms and legs.
Police said that Zhang is known to be mentally ill and when questioned, denied that he had attempted to sexually assault Ms Lee.
Upon hearing of the sexual assault and attempted rape, Ms Lee’s female landlord visited Lee to show her concern.
However, according to Ms Lee’s statements to media, the landlord said, “being too beautiful is also troublesome.” A short time later, the landlord contacted Lee by phone and said that she was cancelling the rental contract, and that Lee needed to leave the apartment within two weeks, offering her two month deposit back.
Ms Lee said that the landlord’s attitude added insult to injury, and will seek justice through the legal system.
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Sources: Apple Daily, Liberty Times, United Daily News.
*Note: Apple Daily, Liberty Times, United Daily News, and other reports referred to Ms Lee in headlines as “Short-skirted OL (office lady).
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Maybe I shouldn’t focus on this. Obviously, the woman did nothing wrong. How did the landlord evict her? I couldn’t evict a tenant who didn’t pay rent. I was told the tenant signed a one year lease and we couldn’t evict her before the lease was up. It was just considered late payment.
okay so are we going to blame the victim now cuz she’s “too pretty”? and kick her out to make her have to find a new place to live? it ain’t the woman fault. it’s never the victim’s fault. i hope she gets her justice. and another thing, 10 whole minutes right there in the lobby and nobody did anything?