In a highly unusual case in Taiwan, a man has been granted a divorce after his wife began charging him for sex and conversations. The couple, pseudonymously identified as Hao and Xuan, married in 2014 and have two children together. The situation began to deteriorate significantly in 2017 when Xuan restricted sexual relations to once a month, a practice that evolved into a total rejection of intimacy by 2019.
According to Hao, Xuan’s demands escalated in 2021 when she started charging a fee of $15 (approximately ₹1,200) for any sexual activity or conversation. Hao reported that his wife disparaged him, describing him as “too fat” and “incompetent,” which compounded the emotional distress he faced.
Hao initially filed for divorce in 2021 but withdrew the lawsuit after Xuan promised to work on their relationship. Despite registering their property in Xuan’s name as a gesture of commitment, the situation did not improve. Hao cited continued emotional abuse and the imposition of the $15 fee as reasons for re-filing for divorce this year. By then, the couple had not communicated directly for two years and had only interacted through a messaging app when necessary.
The Taiwanese court granted Hao’s request for divorce, citing the relationship as “cold and difficult to fix.” Xuan, who was opposed to the divorce, appealed the decision in a higher court, but her plea was rejected.
This case is not isolated in Taiwan. A similar incident occurred in 2014, where a wife charged her husband $60 for sex and additional fees for conversations and meals. She justified these actions by stating that her husband, a truck driver, did not contribute financially to the family. Their children also demanded payment for interactions with their father, leading to police involvement and a settlement where the husband agreed to pay $600 a month to his family.
Sources By Agencies
