A landmark victory has been secured in a high-profile workplace sexual harassment case in China, as a woman has successfully sued her former manager and received a notable award for emotional damages. The ruling, issued in January and upheld last week on appeal, marks one of the rare instances where an employee has prevailed in such a case within China's tightly controlled legal system.
The claimant, known only by her nickname Xiong to protect her identity, expressed her relief at the verdict, stating: "I have successfully defended my personal dignity." Xiong, who had joined Beijing Grassland Alliance as an intern in early 2022 while studying in Fujian province, reported that her manager began making unwanted advances shortly after she commenced her internship. The alleged behaviour included making suggestive comments about her appearance, holding her hand, and sending explicit text messages.
Xiong's experiences were detailed in an essay published on WeChat last year, where she recounted her initial inability to recognise the harassment as such, despite feeling embarrassed and uncomfortable. It was only after consulting a Chinese AI chatbot that she felt her suffering was validated.
The lawsuit, filed by Xiong against her former manager after leaving the NGO in 2024, is one of the few instances where victims of sexual harassment have pursued action within China's legal system. Despite having the right to sue since 2021, such cases remain exceptionally rare, with a 2018 study revealing only 34 judicial decisions between 2010 and 2017 where workplace sexual harassment was the primary issue.
May Lu, a managing partner at Shanghai Yaowang law offices specialising in employment matters, attributed the increase in recent years to the #MeToo movement and evolving Chinese laws. However, she noted that successful filings are still uncommon due to cultural barriers that make it difficult for women to speak out about sexual harassment. The global #MeToo conversation, sparked by revelations in 2017, has also had a limited impact within China, with many online testimonies subsequently censored.
The verdict's significance extends beyond China's borders, as it reflects the challenges faced by women in pursuing justice for workplace harassment globally. In the UK, the #MeToo movement has led to increased awareness and reporting of sexual harassment, but its impact on Chinese companies operating in Britain remains uncertain.