Beijing Court Ends Chinese #MeToo
Beijing Court Ends Chinese #MeToo: Zhou Xiaoxuan attempted to appeal a previous court decision she lost. But even with evidence of a new legal framework, the case turned out to be a major setback in China’s troubled #MeToo movement. China’s largest workforce proving ground, was rejected an appeal in landmark sexual harassment case on Wednesday, dealing another blow to the troubled country’s #MeToo movement.
A court in Beijing said it will uphold a ruling over a case that began in 2018, when Zhōu Xiǎoxuán (also known by the pseudonym Xiánzǐ stepped forward to accuse popular state television host of forcibly kissing and groping her while she interned for the network in 2014.
Zhou filed a lawsuit against Zhu for sexually harassing her but could not present any inarguable evidence. Zhou dropped the suit and took revenge through filing a lawsuit against Zhou, demanding $100000.
Zhou’s lawsuit was an attempt to bring the case of sexual assault into China’s civil courts instead of the criminal ones that are notoriously difficult for survivors to use. However, even with the new law that many activists initially applauded, Zhou’s trial did not go well, illustrating the arduous battle for many sexual assault survivors.
When it comes to defamation cases, the burden of proof is normally on the plaintiff. However, in China, government officials and corporations are able to take advantage of this by suing non-profits for defamation often and being successful because the standard is “high degree of likelihood.” This has created a chilling effect for these organizations in China as they often don’t have freedom of speech.
The problem with the ccivil code remains that survivors of sexual misconduct are unable to move forward when they get to court. In China, as many have since come forward, Zhou’s allegations prompted #MeToo movement.
The Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai, who had been one of the first to accuse former vice premier Zhang Gaoli of sexual assault last year, came out from seclusion in December during the Beijing Olympics and spoke to the media. However, despite her many interviews, public concern about her well-being remained with rumors that authorities were censoring her speech and restricting her movements.
The school experienced controversy last year when students protested their university’s lack of response to reports of a possible peeping Tom on campus. The authorities were attempting to shut down the students but the issue was much more widespread.
This past December, Alibaba fired a female employee who had accused her former boss of sexual harassment on a business trip in July. She was fired for damaging the company’s reputation and violating company rules.
Zhou revealed that he was disappointed, because it’s what they’re supposed to do such as any writer. Beyond legal means, Zhou had no alternative