In a year defined by crisis, Chinese women found their urgent voices โ demanding changes to the policies that affect their lives, smashing taboos, uniting to end violence against women, refusing to conform, and calling out misogyny whenever and wherever possible.
A powerful, heartbreaking anthem, the song explicitly highlights the pervasive problem of violence against women in China.
A diverse crowd gathered outside a Beijing courthouse last Wednesday to offer support for Xianzi before her sexual harassment trial against state TV host Zhu Jun. โShe has been an inspiration for so many people,โ one supporter said.
The long-awaited hearing on sexual harassment allegations against Zhลซ Jลซn ๆฑๅ, a prominent TV anchor in China, began today in Beijing, kicking off whatโs likely to be a grueling and lengthy ordeal expected to test the power of China's #MeToo movement.
The prestigious Zhejiang University (ZJU) has come under intense criticism for not expelling a male student who was given an 18-month suspended sentence by a Hangzhou court on charges of rape. The university decided to let him continue his studies, only punishing him with a one-year suspension, which many saw as a lax punishment.
China's first court ruling punishing sexual harassment on public transport was decided in Shanghai. A man was sentenced to six months in jail for groping an adult woman and an underage girl on a subway train. However, sexual assault on public transit is alarmingly common in China, and the crime of forcible touching is still only classified as a misdemeanor by Chinese laws.
China has its own #MeToo movement. While China's fight against sexual harassment and assault shares some similarities with the U.S., there are also important differences, like with the judicial system and internet censorship. Watch this video to get the full down low on #MeToo and the prospect for popular change to gender issues in modern China.
Former University of Illinois professor Xu Gang sued over alleged rape and other sex crimes
Chinese Corner: The women who spoke out against sexual misconduct โ and continue to battle misogynists and trolls