When a young female employee at Alibaba, one of China’s biggest technology firms, accused her manager and a company client of sexually assaulting her after an alcohol-fueled work dinner last summer, it seemed like a turning point for the country’s fledgling #MeToo movement.
It didn’t work out that way months later.
In September, prosecutors decided not to charge the woman’s boss because they said his behavior did not constitute a crime. Alibaba fired the woman, identified only by her name, Zhou, by the police and her attorneys in November. The company claimed that Ms. Zhou had caused damage to its reputation by spreading falsehoods.
But now, in the latest development, a Chinese court on Wednesday found Zhang Guo — the company client whom Ms. Zhou accused of sexually assaulting her along with her boss — guilty of “forcible indecency.” It ordered Mr. Zhang to serve 18 months in prison, becoming one of the few high-profile instances of men in China being held accountable after accusations of sexual assault.
The People’s Court of Huaiyin District in eastern China wrote in its ruling that, according to its findings, Mr. Zhang took advantage of Ms. Zhou’s intoxication and that he molested her near the restaurant’s front desk and in a private dining room. It was also discovered that Mr. Zhang assaulted Ms. Zhou again in her hotel room the following day.
Alibaba fired Ms. Zhou’s former boss, identified in news reports by his surname, Wang, in August after Ms. Zhou publicly accused him of rape. Alibaba did not immediately respond to a request for a comment about Wednesday’s court decision against Mr. Zhang. Feng Yanqiang, Mr. Zhang’s lawyer, said the verdict was wrong and called his client innocent. His lawyer said that Mr. Zhang indicated in court that it was his intention to appeal the verdict.
Ms. Zhou said in written responses to questions that Mr. Zhang’s sentence was shorter than what she had expected. She said that the episode had caused her mental and physical health to deteriorate, and that she worried the court’s decision would discourage other women from coming forward in China.
“I can’t easily encourage more women to be strong and brave, because I know how painful and difficult this process is,” she said. But instead of “dying” without answers, she added, “one should opt to fight hard and get justice.”
The incident attracted national attention last year when Ms. Zhou stood up and screamed about the sexual assault in one of Alibaba’s cafeterias. Online video showed her accusing her bosses of not listening to her complaints. It caused a stir among viewers, angered at the many biases of women in China, as the video was shared on social media.
The #MeToo movement in the country has struggled to gain momentum. Women who accuse men for creating a hostile workplace or sexual harassment are often met with online vitriol. While institutions promote messages of female empowerment and many women feel that accusations of misconduct by colleagues or superiors often go unreported.
The court on Wednesday said the prosecution provided “reliable and sufficient evidence” in building the case against Mr. Zhang. It stated that Mr. Zhang didn’t confess and had not asked for forgiveness. Chinese media reported that neither Ms. Zhou or Mr. Wang, who were listed as witnesses, did not appear in court during the two day trial in June.
Claire FuContributed research
Source: NY Times