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When a younger feminine worker at Alibaba, considered one of China’s largest expertise corporations, accused her supervisor and an organization consumer 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 method.
In September, prosecutors determined to not cost the lady’s boss as a result of, they mentioned, his conduct didn’t represent a criminal offense. In November, Alibaba fired the lady, who has been recognized by the police and her legal professionals solely by her surname, Zhou. The corporate claimed Ms. Zhou had broken its status by spreading falsehoods.
However now, within the newest growth, a Chinese language court docket on Wednesday discovered Zhang Guo — the corporate consumer whom Ms. Zhou accused of sexually assaulting her alongside together with her boss — responsible of “forcible indecency.” It ordered Mr. Zhang to serve 18 months in jail, one of many few high-profile situations of males in China being held accountable after accusations of sexual assault.
The Folks’s Court docket of Huaiyin District in japanese China wrote in its ruling that, in keeping 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 non-public eating room. It additionally discovered that Mr. Zhang had gone to her lodge room the subsequent day and assaulted her once more.
Alibaba fired Ms. Zhou’s former boss, recognized in information stories 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 court docket determination towards Mr. Zhang. Feng Yanqiang, Mr. Zhang’s lawyer, mentioned the decision was mistaken and referred to as his consumer harmless. Mr. Zhang said in court docket 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 precipitated her psychological and bodily well being to deteriorate, and that she fearful the court docket’s determination 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 decide to battle laborious and get justice.”
The incident attracted nationwide consideration final 12 months when Ms. Zhou stood up and screamed concerning the sexual assault in considered one of Alibaba’s cafeterias. A video posted on-line confirmed her loudly accusing her bosses and human sources of ignoring her complaints. Because the video unfold on social media, it precipitated an uproar amongst viewers indignant with the various biases and energy imbalances girls in China face.
The #MeToo motion has struggled to realize momentum within the nation. Girls who accuse males of sexual harassment or of making a poisonous office are ceaselessly 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 court docket 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 court docket through the two-day trial in early June.
Claire Fu contributed analysis.
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