When a younger feminine worker at Alibaba, one in all China’s greatest expertise corporations, accused her supervisor and an organization shopper of sexually assaulting her after an alcohol-fueled work dinner final summer time, it appeared like a turning level for the nation’s fledgling #MeToo motion.
Months later, it had not performed out that manner.
In September, prosecutors determined to not cost the girl’s boss as a result of, they mentioned, his habits didn’t represent a criminal offense. In November, Alibaba fired the girl, who has been recognized by the police and her attorneys solely by her surname, Zhou. The corporate claimed Ms. Zhou had broken its popularity by spreading falsehoods.
However now, within the newest growth, a Chinese language courtroom on Wednesday discovered Zhang Guo — the corporate shopper whom Ms. Zhou accused of sexually assaulting her alongside along with her boss — responsible of “forcible indecency.” It ordered Mr. Zhang to serve 18 months in jail, one of many few high-profile cases of males in China being held accountable after accusations of sexual assault.
The Folks’s Courtroom of Huaiyin District in japanese China wrote in its ruling that, in accordance with its findings, Mr. Zhang had taken benefit of Ms. Zhou’s intoxication and molested her close to the restaurant’s entrance desk and in a personal eating room. It additionally discovered that Mr. Zhang had gone to her lodge room the following day and assaulted her once more.
Alibaba fired Ms. Zhou’s former boss, recognized in information reviews by his surname, Wang, in August after Ms. Zhou publicly accused him of rape. Alibaba didn’t instantly reply to a request for a remark about Wednesday’s courtroom resolution towards Mr. Zhang. Feng Yanqiang, Mr. Zhang’s lawyer, mentioned the decision was mistaken and referred to as his shopper harmless. Mr. Zhang acknowledged in courtroom that he deliberate to enchantment the choice, his lawyer mentioned.
Ms. Zhou mentioned in written responses to questions that Mr. Zhang’s sentence was shorter than what she had anticipated. She mentioned that the episode had induced her psychological and bodily well being to deteriorate, and that she frightened the courtroom’s resolution would discourage different girls from coming ahead in China.
“I can’t simply encourage extra girls to be sturdy and courageous, as a result of I understand how painful and tough this course of is,” she mentioned. However as an alternative of “dying” with out solutions, she added, “one ought to choose to struggle laborious and get justice.”
The incident attracted nationwide consideration final 12 months when Ms. Zhou stood up and screamed in regards to the sexual assault in one in all Alibaba’s cafeterias. A video posted on-line confirmed her loudly accusing her bosses and human assets of ignoring her complaints. Because the video unfold on social media, it induced an uproar amongst viewers offended with the numerous biases and energy imbalances girls in China face.
The #MeToo motion has struggled to achieve momentum within the nation. Girls who accuse males of sexual harassment or of making a poisonous office are steadily met with vitriol on-line. Establishments promote messages of feminine empowerment, however many ladies say accusations of misconduct by colleagues or superiors are sometimes ignored.
The courtroom mentioned on Wednesday that the prosecution had offered “dependable and enough proof” in constructing the case towards Mr. Zhang. It mentioned Mr. Zhang had not confessed or requested for forgiveness. Chinese language information media mentioned neither Ms. Zhou nor Mr. Wang, who had each been listed as witnesses, appeared in courtroom throughout the two-day trial in early June.
Claire Fu contributed analysis.
