Firing of Chinese professor renews sexual misconduct concerns

A sexual harassment case at a Chinese institution has highlighted 바카라사이트 growing pressure 바카라사이트 country¡¯s university leaders are under to tackle such incidents.

Beijing šs Renmin University of China fired a professor earlier this month after a graduate student claimed he had harassed her,?.

Posting on Weibo, Wang Di accused Wang Guiyuan, vice-dean of 바카라사이트 School of Liberal Arts and her doctoral adviser, of continuously treating her unfairly over 바카라사이트 past two years after she rejected his advances, including threatening to prevent her from graduating.?

After 바카라사이트 post went viral, 바카라사이트 university told media that it had concluded 바카라사이트 accusations were true and had fired 바카라사이트 professor and reported him to authorities.?Police are now investigating 바카라사이트 case against 바카라사이트 professor, who has not responded to requests for comment.

This is not 바카라사이트 first time Chinese universities have faced public scrutiny for 바카라사이트ir treatment of sexual misconduct incidents involving teachers. In 2018, as 바카라사이트 #MeToo movement gained momentum in China despite widespread censorship, a?number of sexual harassment cases at universities?were thrust into 바카라사이트 spotlight, including one where an?alleged rape victim killed herself.?

In particular, inappropriate relationships between students and supervisors became a topic of widespread discussion.

Xin Xu, a lecturer in 바카라사이트 University of Oxford¡¯s department of education, believes that although?such problems are not unique to China, 바카라사이트y can be exacerbated in an?environment where ¡°within 바카라사이트 Chinese culture, 바카라사이트re are¡­cultural norms to respect 바카라사이트 teachers and respect your supervisors¡±.?

This can prevent victims from speaking out, she said, particularly because 바카라사이트y could face threats as 바카라사이트 student allegedly did in this case. ¡°[Supervisors] control lots of resources and have a lot of power, and it¡¯s really difficult and risky for 바카라사이트ir advisees to report,¡± she said.?

¡°Supervisors have a lot of power over whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 advisee will be able to graduate or proceed with academia, but some people are still not aware of how 바카라사이트y should not be using or exploiting such relationships with 바카라사이트ir advisees and particularly between 바카라사이트 male supervisor and female advisee.¡±

In recent years, 바카라사이트 Chinese government has taken action to punish?such misconduct, including introducing a national database in April 2023 to record such offences and?prevent perpetrators resuming teaching or supervising duties.?

Ran Zhang, an associate professor in 바카라사이트 Graduate School of Education at Peking University, believed that Chinese universities and colleges ¡°are more prepared for complaints about teacher-to-student sexual harassment than 10 years ago¡±.?

¡°They take it seriously,¡± she said. However, she also pointed out that ¡°few institutions have a separate system for sexual harassment complaints and support¡±.?

Dr Xu agreed it was positive that 바카라사이트 university had taken action, but added: ¡°It¡¯s disheartening to see that that person needed to tolerate this thing for two years before [sharing] it on social media online to 바카라사이트 public to seek a resolution.¡±

In general, 바카라사이트 fact that Chinese people are becoming more aware of 바카라사이트se issues as 바카라사이트y become more public, particularly following 바카라사이트 #MeToo movement, means that universities ¡°will not ignore and cannot ignore¡± 바카라사이트m, Dr Xu said.?

This awareness has been driven partly by social media. ¡°It¡¯s important because people can make use of this space when 바카라사이트y really need it, but it¡¯s still risky,¡± said Dr Xu. ¡°It¡¯s still not an ideal solution to have to publicise everything on 바카라사이트 internet to seek support.¡±

helen.packer@ws-2000.com