On 15 Apr. 2024, China’s Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP), together with the All-China Federation of Trade Unions and the All-China Women’s Federation, released typical cases on safeguarding the rights and interests of women and children, aiming to provide guidance to courts in handling similar cases.
This series of 12 cases highlights the judicial authorities’ “zero tolerance” and strict punishment of crimes against women and children in accordance with the law.
Taking Case One, the “Zhou Forced Indecent Assault Case”, as an example, the recruiter took advantage of the unequal positions during the job-seeking process to verbally threaten the job-seeking woman, so that the victim was psychologically coerced to the extent that she dared not to resist. Such behavior is identified as “coercion” under the crime of forced indecent assault. The defendant, Zhou, was found guilty of forcing the woman through verbal threats to commit indecent assault and was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment.
By publicizing such cases, the SPP and other departments not only illustrate the Chinese judicial authorities’ strict punishment of sexual crimes against women in the workplace but also encourage women who experience such offenses to protect their legitimate rights and interests through a legal approach.
Photo by Matt Zhang on Unsplash
Contributors: CJO Staff Contributors Team
