Censorship of the Chinese #MeToo Movement: When Victims Becom Criminals What do esteemed tennis star Peng Shuai and journalist Zhou Xiaoxuan have in common? Both women spoke out against their sexual assaults by high-ranking government officials on Chinese social media site Weibo amidst heavy Chinese social media censorship. Both women were silenced by the deletion of their accounts and scrubbing of relevant hashtags, search topics, and posts. Without a platform to amplify their voices, the accusations against their assaulters have faded into the background. Government censorship of feminist protests halted China’s #MeToo movement from igniting much-needed conversation regarding sexual assault. Since the #MeToo movement’s Chinese establishment in 2018, sexual assault survivors and activists have faced strong stigma and resistance at the official level and among the public. According to CNN, the number of sexual assault and harassment prosecutions spanning from 2013 to 2017 is a mere 43,0000, a small quantity when compared to the whole population of 1.4 billion people. Victims are scared to report, so the guilty are not prosecuted. Removing the stigma of the status quo surrounding sexual assault through open, uncensored discussion online will encourage more women to come forward to seek justice and accountability against their assaulters. Journalist and sexual assault survivor Zhou Xiaoxuan echoed the importance of speaking out: “It not only can comfort other women but also make the general public understand more about sexual harassment and sexual assault. This is the most important thing – young girls no longer feel guilty and ashamed.” Topics and forums regarding sexual assault experiences online creates a safespace for discussion and education. The #MeToo movement’s activism has the potential to transform the way Chinese society perceives sexual assault as a taboo subject. Since the Chinese government does not support protests, speaking about sexual violence under strict social media censorship is criminalizing for activists; however, continuing the movement may arouse substantial change. Recently, China’s parliament enacted legislation that for the first time defines actions that can constitute sexual harassment. As of May 22, 2020, the Chinese government enacted Article 1,010, which established a civil liability framework to hold harassers accountable. However, there is still a long way to go to protect people against sexual assault and punish the perpetrators of such violence. Article 1,010 does not lay out specific enforcement guidance as to how rapists will be held accountable for their crimes. The Chinese government needs to acknowledge the concerns of its people – to truly hear and acknowledge their cry for help. No matter how involved in government affairs, everyone should be held responsible for rape. A government should never choose to protect the guilty and silence the victims. Catherine Yan ’24
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