《TAIPEI TIMES》 Student apologizes for ‘rent-a-girlfriend’ service

By Rachel Lin and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writer

A student in National Chengchi University’s （NCCU） College of Law yesterday apologized after an escort service he founded created a backlash among classmates and alumni.

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The student promoted Sigma Co on the social media platform Dcard, saying it provided “entertainment services and lessons on picking up women.”

However, on Instagram — where the student also advertised the venture — he described the company as providing the opportunity for men to “hug, caress and French-kiss women, and touch their breasts,” providing customers the “rare experience of dating a woman.”

The posts also said the company was recruiting NCCU students to provide the services.

Students complained to the university administrators, saying that the posts were proof that Sigma was advertising prostitution.

Responding to comments on Dcard, the company founder said that Sigma helps with planning dates and provides “rent-a-girlfriend” services, but it does not sell sex.

The company founder said his description of intimate acts in the Instagram post was to “protect the safety of women, as it delineated the maximum amount of physical contact a woman working for the company would be willing to accept,” adding that clients who exceeded those limits would be “committing sexual harassment.”

In his apology, the founder said that he had “used words in his advertisements that were disrespectful toward women to attract potential clients, which disgusted everyone,” and said he would “reflect on his actions.”

He also apologized for promotional material that depicted the NCCU campus, saying that he did not receive permission from the university to do so, and that he was “willing to accept punishment from the school.”

The NCCU law department yesterday said it would investigate the incident, and would submit its findings to the university’s review committee.

If the student who set up the company is found to have contravened any part of the Gender Equity Education Act （性別平等教育法）, he would be punished in accordance with regulations, it said.

The Sigma founder said he had hired a lawyer to handle any legal issues that arise.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES