More than two years ago, He Qian, a former journalist in China, filed charges of sexual assault against a well-known reporter. His story circulated widely on the internet, helping to strengthen the growing #MeToo movement in China.
Now Ms. He, 32, is being punished for that. A Chinese court ruled this week that she violated defamation laws by disclosing her charges.
She and a friend, Zou Sicong, who helped her share her story online, were ordered to pay more than $ 1,800 in legal fees and damages to the man he accused of assault, Deng Fei, a journalist for a Chinese magazine. Mr. Deng denied the charges.
“Chinese law needs to do more to respond to #MeToo,” said He, who also uses the first name Belinda, in an interview. “This is just the beginning and it is far from enough.”
Ms. He’s case has been a test closely observed of the Chinese government’s tolerance of the country’s small but vigorous #MeToo movement. The court’s decision in the eastern city of Hangzhou highlights the challenges for women in China who face charges of sexual harassment and assault on prominent men.
#MeToo has gained momentum in China in recent years, despite the government Communist Party’s strict limits to activism and dissent and its tight control of the Internet. Several prominent men in Chinese companies, religious institutions and universities were forced to resign after women spoke about harassment and abuse.
But many obstacles remain. Rape and sexual harassment are often considered taboo in China. Authorities often discourage women from making complaints. And in recent years, men accused of harassment have sued their accusers for defamation, in what critics say is an attempt to intimidate and silence them.
In her article, which circulated online in China after Zou published it on her social media account, Ms. He wrote about her time in 2009 as a 21-year intern at Phoenix Weekly, a Chinese magazine, where Mr. Deng was the chief journalist. She said that Mr. Deng invited her to a hotel room to discuss stories, then he kissed her forcibly and touched her.
After the article was published, Mr. Deng sued Ms. He and Mr. Zou for defamation.
The court in Hangzhou sided with Deng, saying He and Zou did not provide sufficient evidence of the alleged attack. “What they described lacks factual evidence and a legal basis,” the court said.
Ms. He and Mr. Zou said they would appeal the decision.
Mr. Deng did not respond to a request for comment. “I have never done anything so bad and stupid,” he wrote about Ms. He’s accusations in a recent social media post. He said he didn’t remember meeting her.
Zou said Chinese law should be more sensitive to women who make allegations of aggression and harassment.
“Expecting a topic to simply disappear and return to the old world is ignorant and peremptory,” he wrote on WeChat, a popular social media app. “I will take responsibility until the end for publishing the article about He Qian.”
For activists eager to protect women’s rights and oppose China’s patriarchal culture, the decision was a setback.
Feng Yuan, co-founder of a non-profit women’s rights group in Beijing, said the court “has completely denied sexual harassment”.
“Many people will feel even more powerless in the face of sexual harassment,” said Feng.
Despite the government’s efforts to limit activism, the #MeToo movement in China has had some success and continues to have the support of women from various backgrounds.
A Beijing court heard last month the case of Zhou Xiaoxuan, a former intern at China’s state broadcaster who accused a prominent television personality, Zhu Jun, of sexual assault. (Mr. Zhu denied the charges.) Dozens of people gathered outside, some holding signs with the hashtag #MeToo, in a show of support that is rare in Chinese lawsuits.
Despite the court’s decision, Ms. He said she would continue to press her case. She said she was encouraged that her case had sparked some discussion about women’s rights in China.
“The worst case scenario,” she said, “would be if no one discussed or paid attention to this topic and no one dared to stand up.”
Albee Zhang contributed research.