© Copyright khedmeh Wall
The settlement of the civil case Jingyao v. Richard Liu
The civil lawsuit Jingyao v. Richard Liu has attracted international attention as it reflects the problems faced by the Chinese #MeToo movement, which is struggling to find its footing. The high profile of the case also stems from the defendant, Richard Liu, a prominent public figure and founder of Chinese e-commerce company JD.com. To get more news about liu jingyao, you can visit shine news official website.
Liu Jingyao attended the same business dinner in 2018. She alleged that Qiangdong pressured her to drink there and then raped her in her apartment. Jingyao reported the assault to her friend, who then called 911, and local police arrived at Jingyao's apartment that night. They removed Richard Liu from the premises and later arrested him. Richard Liu, founder of the e-commerce company JD.com, denied all the allegations and said he and Jingyao had consensual sex. After being questioned by Minnesota police, Richard Liu was released and his company issued a statement saying the allegations were false.
Prosecutors did not press charges against Qiangdong. Instead, Jingyao filed a civil lawsuit against him in 2019, accusing him of rape and seeking $50,000 in damages. The lawsuit quickly attracted public attention due to Richard Liu's high profile. Forbes had recently recognised him as one of the richest people in the world, estimating his net worth at around $10.5 billion. Behind closed doors, Richard Liu settled the case and has since stepped down as CEO of JD.com. The settlement was announced on Sunday 2 October, one day before the trial was due to begin. The amount of the settlement was not disclosed. It marked the end of a four-year legal battle between the Chinese billionaire and the former University of Minnesota student. Despite the settlement, however, the impact of the US on China was felt around the world.
The case of Jingyao vs. Richard Liu has gained traction among feminists, activists and the international community due to its widespread coverage and high profile. In particular, it has focused global attention on China's struggling #MeToo movement. The #MeToo movement in China has long been the target of a crackdown by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), but its supporters have been vocal in their support for Jingyao throughout her trial. Determined to be heard, Chinese women and activists have used homophones and emoticons to circumvent online censorship and speak out in Jingyao's defence, with the hashtags #HereForJingyao and #IAmNotAPerfectVictimEither garnering over 15 million views in the days after the case was settled. This external support is rare in the hostile environment of China's culture of sexual violence.
Jingyao herself was subjected to public scrutiny and hatred after filing her lawsuit, and was vilified online as a 'gold digger'. Edited videos of her and Richard Liu were circulated to misrepresent the circumstances of their meeting, making it appear as if Jingyao had asked him for sex, further shaping the public's harsh criticism of her. In 2019, Jingyao's psychiatrist diagnosed her with PTSD, and Jingyao revealed that she now rarely leaves her apartment. In 2019, Jingyao was opposed to settling the case because it would require her to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), but it is believed that she settled due to the intense pressure the case was putting on her. Whether she signed an NDA remains unclear, but she reported that she "wanted to fight to the end, but it's very difficult".
In recent years, international audiences have become increasingly aware of China's #MeToo movement. Although the case of Jingyao v Richard Liu was based in the US, the implication of a high-ranking Chinese CEO set a precedent for future sexual assault cases in China. The world will have to watch and see how future cases between powerful individuals and plaintiffs are handled.
The Wall