Peng is not the only woman facing problems after being accused of sexual harassment.
Reflexes
- Efforts are continually being made in China to suppress the voices of many activists and victims.
- Huang Xueqin started the ‘Me Too’ campaign in China in 2018.
- The campaign against issues that should be brought to the public table has intensified this year.
Taipei: Huang Xueqin, who publicly supported the woman who accused the teacher of sexual harassment, was arrested in September. Wang Jianbing, who helped a woman file a sexual harassment complaint, was also detained. Like her, there are many other women’s rights activists who have been harassed on social media platforms, some of whom have even closed their accounts out of frustration.
Peng was seen on a video call after 3 weeks.
The incident was widely condemned internationally after Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai disappeared after accusing former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli of sexual harassment. However, about three weeks later, Shuai appeared on a video call with the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach. Peng is not the only woman facing many problems after being accused of sexual harassment. Similar attempts are being made in China to suppress the voices of many activists and victims.
‘Me Too’ Campaign Launched in China in 2018
Huang Xueqin launched the ‘Me Too’ campaign in China in 2018, speaking publicly on the issue and taking a number of steps, including establishing a civil code to define sexual harassment for the first time. However, he also faced strong opposition from Chinese officials, who immediately stalled the campaign on social media for fear it could challenge their grip on power.
Huang Xueqin, who supported the woman who accused the teacher of sexual harassment, was arrested.
Pin fight for women’s rights
The campaign against issues that should be brought to the public table has intensified this year. American activist Lou Pin said they were openly denying women their legal rights. Pin continues to fight for women’s rights in China. How dangerous the #MeToo campaign and women’s rights activism are to Chinese officials is revealed by the fact that they have targeted many activists as a tool of foreign interference.
He is accused of weakening the power of the country
China has primarily targeted activists who are less popular or dominant, and who often work with marginalized groups. Both Huang and Wang have advocated for disadvantaged groups. According to a friend of both workers, they have been accused of undermining the power of the country. You have also seen a notice sent to Wang’s family in this regard. Police in the city of Guangzhou in southern China were contacted but did not comment. They were both arrested there.
Those who speak out on social media are the target
This charge is often used against political dissidents. Huang and Wang’s family have not heard from them since their arrest. At the same time, Zhou Xiaosuan, who accused the well-known state TV presenter Zhu Jun of misconduct, faced harassment on social media and can no longer share anything on her account. Many people on the Chinese social media platform ‘Weibo’ have been sending him messages like, ‘Get out of China’, ‘Foreigners will use you and leave you’, etc.
‘You cannot keep your word in any way’
Zhu said: ‘Now, the situation on social media is such that his activities are completely limited and he cannot keep his word in any way.’ Despite all this harassment, activists say that the ‘MeToo’ campaign has opened a door to bring this issue into the public domain, which now cannot be closed.
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