A Chinese woman has won a landmark sexual harassment lawsuit against her former boss, in a rare legal victory for the MeToo movement in the country. The court ruled that the defendant, a senior executive at a state-owned company, had sexually harassed the plaintiff over a period of several months.
Case Details
The plaintiff, identified only by her surname Li, filed the lawsuit in 2024 after her boss, Zhang, allegedly made repeated unwanted advances and sent explicit messages. The court in Beijing found Zhang guilty of sexual harassment and ordered him to pay Li 50,000 yuan (approximately $7,000) in compensation and issue a formal apology.
According to Li's lawyer, the verdict is a significant step forward for women's rights in China, where sexual harassment cases rarely result in convictions. "This ruling sends a clear message that sexual harassment will not be tolerated in the workplace," the lawyer said.
Impact on MeToo Movement
The case has been hailed as a milestone for China's MeToo movement, which gained momentum in 2018 but has faced backlash and censorship. Activists hope the verdict will encourage more victims to come forward. However, they note that legal hurdles and social stigma remain major barriers.
Li said she hopes her case inspires other women to seek justice. "I was afraid, but I knew I had to stand up for myself and for others who have suffered in silence," she told reporters outside the court.
