China rape victim becomes first to have sex assault recognised as ‘industrial injury’.

Sept 2025 : A woman in China who was raped by her boss on a business trip and later ousted has had her ordeal ruled an “industrial injury” by the authorities. She had 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 which was heard on 23^rd September at the Jinnan District People’s Court in Tianjin, Northern China have gripped the nation.

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 alongwith her boss namely Wang, went for a business trip to Hangzhou in Eastern Zhejiang Province in September 2023. On 22nd September, 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. However, in April 2024, Wang was sentenced to four years in jail for rape. But in the same month, Cui was terminated 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. During the end of 2024, 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.

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. In the meantime, 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 Chen said on social media.

Team Maverick