A rape victim in China has become the first such person to have the crime committed by her boss classified as an “industrial injury”. -- Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Douyin
SHANGHAI (SCMP): A woman in China who was raped by her boss on a business trip and later sacked has had her ordeal ruled an “industrial injury” by the authorities.
She subsequently sued the company and is demanding it pay her two million yuan (US$280,000) in compensation.
The classification of her sexual assault as such is the first of its kind in China.
The case, heard on September 23, at the Jinnan District People’s Court in Tianjin, northern China, gripped the nation, according to the news outlet Kankan News.
Cui Lili speaks to the media about her ordeal. She was raped by her boss in a hotel room. Photo: Handout
The victim, Cui Lili, 41, previously worked as a sales supervisor at the Tianjin Deke Zhikong Company, a car component manufacturer, for an annual salary of more than one million yuan (US$140,000).
She and her boss, identified as Wang, took a business trip to Hangzhou in eastern Zhejiang province in September 2023.
On September 22, they had dinner with clients. Wang then held Cui, who was drunk, in his arms and took her to his room in the hotel, where he raped her.
In April 2024, Wang was sentenced to four years in jail for rape.
Cui has been widely praised for showing the courage to speak publicly about the case. -- Photo: Handout
However, in the same month, Cui was fired by the company for being absent without good reason.
A local judicial authentication institution assessed that Cui had suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to being raped.
At the end of last year, the local human resources and social security authority recognised her health issue as an industrial injury, the report said.
Earlier this year, the local labour arbitration authority ruled that Cui’s former employer should compensate her 1.13 million yuan (US$160,000). The company did not appeal the decision.
Cui said she still needed to take her former employer to court because so far she had only received 20,000 yuan (US$2,800) and raised the amount due to her to two million yuan.
On the day of the hearing, she wore the same clothes as those she was wearing when she was assaulted.
“Last time, I wore it and was humiliated. This time, I wore it to fight for justice,” Cui told the media.
Surveillance footage captured Cui’s boss in black walking away from the hotel room. -- Photo: Handout
She said she has been receiving medical treatment for her PTSD.
“I often had nightmares, slept little after the incident, and relied on medicine and coffee to maintain myself. My life has been completely ruined,” said Cui.
The court has not reached a verdict yet.
Cui advises women who suffer a similar experience not to blame themselves.
Famous Chinese actress Yao Chen, who advocates for feminism, sided with Cui.
“Lili is among very few victims who directly face the media to tell their stories. She is such a courageous woman. Having experienced much sin, she still insisted on fighting for herself with her belief and wisdom,” Yao said on social media. - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
