TENNIS STAR MAKES AN ALLEGATION OF ASSAULT AGAINST FORMER POLITICAL PLAYER

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NATALIA FALCHI WRITING – Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai recently shared a personal #MeToo experience on Weibo, accusing former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli of sexual assault. But his post was deleted within minutes. Zhang Gaoli of course served on the Standing Committee of the Politburo of the Communist Party from 2012 to 2017.

Ms. Peng’s charges could not be confirmed, as she was unable to provide evidence due to the lack of witnesses. She also admitted to having an occasional consensual relationship with the prominent leader who, she said, had expressed concerns about the possibility of recording their encounters.

Although suppressed, Peng’s briefly published allegation is at the forefront of discussions on the internet and the country’s highly watched and controlled media, as well as in the public domain. Searches for Peng’s name have been blocked by the Chinese government, due to the extreme cultural, social and political sensitivity in China regarding allegations of misconduct by political leaders. Despite all of this, public discourse around the incident continues.

Today, many women attribute these repressive actions to the deep-rooted Chinese patriarchal tradition of companies or government officials using their titles to manipulate women into victims of assault and misconduct. Perhaps, however, the news of this claim, while suppressed, will make more women feel comfortable enough to share their experiences. Perhaps other victims will also be heard.

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