When a young female employee in Alibaba, one of China’s largest tech companies, accused her manager and company clients of sexual assault after a dinner of alcohol-fueled work last summer, it was a country. It was like a turning point in the fledgling #MeToo movement.
A few months later, it wasn’t done that way.
In September, the prosecutor decided not to prosecute the female boss because the behavior of the female boss was not a crime. In November, Alibaba fired a woman. This woman was identified by police and lawyers only by her name, Zhou. The company claimed that Zhou had hurt her reputation by spreading her falsehood.
But now, in the latest developments, a Chinese court on Wednesday convicted Zhang Guolao, a customer of a company where Zhou and his boss accused her of sexually assaulting her, for “forced obscenity.” It ordered Mr. Zhang to serve 18 months in prison. This is one of the few well-known examples of men being held accountable for sexual assault charges in China.
The Huaiyin District People’s Court in eastern China wrote that Zhang used Zhou’s drunkenness to molested her near the restaurant’s front desk and in a private dining room, according to the ruling. Also, Mr. Zhang went to the hotel room the next day and found out that he had been assaulted again.
Alibaba fired Zhou’s former boss in August after Zhou was publicly accused of rape. Alibaba did not immediately respond to Mr. Zhang’s request for comment on Wednesday’s court ruling. Zhang’s lawyer, Feng Yanqiang, said the verdict was wrong and called his client innocent. Mr Zhang said in court that he would appeal the ruling, his lawyer said.
Zhou said in a written answer to the question that Zhang’s decision was shorter than she expected. She said she was worried that this episode would worsen her mental and physical health and that her court decision would discourage other women from advancing into China.
“I know how painful and difficult this process is, so I can’t easily encourage more women to be strong and brave,” she said. But instead of “dying” without an answer, she added, “you should choose to fight hard and gain justice.”
The incident caught the public’s attention last year at one of Alibaba’s cafeterias when Zhou stood up and shouted about sexual assault. A video posted online showed that she loudly accused her boss and her talent of ignoring her complaints. As the video spread on social media, it caused turmoil among viewers who were angry with the many prejudices and power imbalances faced by Chinese women.
The #MeToo movement is struggling to gain momentum in the country. Women who accuse men of creating sexual harassment and toxic workplaces often encounter vitriol online. Institutions promote women’s empowerment messages, but many say that accusations of misconduct by colleagues and bosses are often ignored.
The court said Wednesday that the prosecution provided “sufficient credible evidence” in drafting a proceeding against Mr. Zhang. Mr. Zhang did not confess or ask for forgiveness. Neither Zhou nor Wang, both listed as witnesses, said they did not appear in court during the two-day trial in early June, a Chinese press said.
Claire Fu Contributed to the research.
