Alibaba Manager Not Charged In China’s Last #MeToo Moment

Chinese police have freed a former Alibaba executive accused of rape by a colleague after prosecutors dismissed the charge, adding fuel to an episode that has shaken the Chinese tech industry and sparked a showdown for the nascent #MeToo movement. country.

Authorities in the eastern Chinese city of Jinan said late Monday that the behavior of the executive, whose surname is Wang, was not criminal and his arrest was not confirmed. He was released after being detained for 15 days.

Last month, a female employee at Alibaba said that Mr. Wang assaulted and raped her during a July business trip, which she called “a drunken night” to amuse her colleagues. The woman, surnamed Zhou, said she did not seek recourse when she reported the situation to Alibaba.

Finally, Ms. Zhou published an article on the internet about the alleged attack. It was shared widely on Chinese social media and marks the latest in a series of #MeToo episodes in a country where the movement is struggling to gain traction.

The account created an uproar at Alibaba, a company that has long publicly celebrated the importance of female staff. symptom of deeper problemsincluding widespread casual sexism.

Alibaba’s top management responded to the memo fired Mr. Wang And in a note to employees, he said the company will accelerate the creation of anti-sexual harassment policies and create a dedicated channel for workers to report abuse. Two senior executives resigned because they could not respond properly upon the woman’s notice.

“Alibaba Group has a zero-tolerance policy against sexual exploitation and providing a safe workplace for all our employees is Alibaba’s top priority,” a company spokesperson said on Tuesday.

Authorities were investigating Mr. Wang in connection with the crime of “forced indecency”, which may include sexual assault but excludes rape. When the prosecutor decided that Mr. Wang’s actions did not constitute a crime, he was released after an administrative sentence for indecency.

Charges of “forced immorality” continue against another man who was at dinner as Alibaba’s customer and accused of sexual assault by Ms. Zhou.

While plaintiffs can file civil lawsuits, China’s court system often gives them little recourse when it comes to sexual assault and harassment in the workplace. From 2010 to 2017, approximately a large number of civil cases came from the accused Misdemeanors claiming defamation, as well as from accusers.

The prosecutors’ decision sparked mixed reactions online. “This guy could start a training course: how to practice a non-criminal, coercive vice,” one user sarcastically wrote in a widely shared response.

A supporter of Mr. Wang said, “It’s good to act according to the law, please don’t judge the case publicly.”

Mr. Wang’s wife said that her verified account on social media platform Weibo was released on Tuesday morning. He thanked the courts for their “fair handling of the case” and “many of the enthusiastic netizens for their understanding, encouragement and support”.

While the #MeToo movement has had some minor victories since it first emerged in China in 2018, women say the odds are still against them in a country that tightly limits opposition and activism, and where the top echelons of political leaders are almost exclusively. Male. Women say it can be nearly impossible to file a complaint with the police because there is no video evidence that authorities often request.

The Alibaba division has launched an increasingly vocal campaign against harassment and sexism in China. This summer, police detained the popular Canadian-Chinese singer Kris Wu on suspicion of rape An 18-year-old university student in Beijing accused him of forcing him to have sex with young women. Mr. Wu, the most prominent figure to be encountered, #MeToo claims, denied the allegations.

The episode at Alibaba has drawn more attention to equality questions in the male-dominated Chinese tech industry, where many female employees say they have long objectified women and blamed the victims. Three years ago, when a University of Minnesota student claimed that the billionaire founder of JD.com, Richard Liu, raped her after an alcoholic dinner, many in the tech industry took his side and called him a gold digger. other misogynistic smears. Mr. Liu denied his accusation and the Minnesota police dropped the investigation.

Numerous employees within Alibaba rallied around accusations to oppose what they say is a sexist workplace culture. In a letter sent to management last month by more than 6,000 Alibaba employees, employees urged the company to ban sexual expressions and games at orientation events.

joyful contributed to research.