Chinese PhD Student Accuses Professor of Sexual Harassment: Social Media Eruption

Wang Di, a female PhD student at Renmin University in China, accused her academic supervisor of sexual harassment on social media. She detailed over two years of abuse and threats against her academic progress. The university launched an investigation, while Wang's post gathered significant online support.

A female PhD student in China has sparked a social media storm after accusing her academic supervisor of sexual harassment and threats to hinder her doctorate for refusing his advances. The school announced an investigation on Monday.

Identified as Wang Di, a student at Renmin University of China's School of Liberal Arts, she posted a 59-minute video on Weibo detailing the abuse. Wearing a mask, Wang alleged the professor, a former vice dean and Communist Party member at the school, subjected her to physical and verbal abuse, assigned unpaid tasks, and threatened her graduation for over two years.

She shared screenshots and audio clips as evidence, including one where a man is heard attempting to kiss a woman repeatedly saying, "No, no, teacher." Her post earned 1.73 million likes by early Monday afternoon, with many supporting her call for legal action against the professor. Renmin University assured a thorough investigation and emphasized its zero-tolerance policy towards ethical misconduct. However, public accusations of sexual harassment in China remain rare due to government suppression, as seen with previous high-profile cases related to the #MeToo movement.

(With inputs from agencies.)