Kris Wu sex scandal

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Kris Wu Sex Scandal
咪咕音乐盛典 (24).jpg
Wu in 2017
DateJuly 8, 2021 (2021-07-08)
Location People's Republic of China
TypeSex scandal
TargetDu Meizhu[a] and other female victims
ParticipantsKris Wu, Liu[b]
OutcomeSponsorship losses for Wu, works and social media accounts removed from the Chinese market, and Wu's arrest

The Kris Wu sex scandal is a sex scandal involving Chinese-Canadian rapper and actor Kris Wu. Du Meizhu, a 19-year-old Chinese woman, released a post on her Weibo account on July 8, 2021, accusing him of allegedly raping her and 30 other females (including minors). [2][3]

Wu denied all accusations but lost sponsorships, had his social media accounts and music removed from Chinese platforms, and was later arrested by the Beijing Police.[4]

People involved[]

  • Kris Wu: Chinese-Canadian, born in 1990, actor, singer, record producer, rapper, and model.
  • Du Meizhu: Chinese, born in 2002, student of Vocational and Technical College of Communication University of China (2020), major in film and television direction.[5]
  • 30 other unknown girls[6][7]

Allegations[]

On July 8, 2021, 19-year-old university student Du Meizhu accused Wu of sexual misconduct on Weibo, a Chinese media platform. In her allegation, she states that she was in a relationship with Wu and was raped after being forced to drink alcohol. She said that she was 17 at the time of the assault.[8] Alongside her post she also included pictures and message screenshots to back up her claim after receiving threats from Wu's fans.[9]

Following the incident, Du was paid hush money by Wu's agency but finally got the courage to speak out 2 years later.[10] Du also included in another post that there were more instances of Wu getting women drunk and then raping them. She later said that she wasn't the first or last victim after more women (including 2 minors) had reached out to her to share similar experiences of being lured by Wu.[11][12]

On August 8, 2021, one alleged underage rape victim from Los Angeles shared her story which started with her attending one of Wu's drinking parties. She told her lawyer Jing Wang that:

"It's an open secret that he [Wu] selects concubines among international students".

She saw this first-hand when she was invited by Wu's assistant to attend a gathering. Before the girls could enter the venue, they were required to turn in their phones to prevent photos and videos from being recorded.[9] Her story is being evaluated.

Below are some of the accusations listed by Du which come from her Weibo posts:[12][13][14][9]

  1. Wu never took any safety precautions whenever he raped the girls
  2. One of the methods that Wu would use was that he would "pick up" young and pretty fangirls, bring them over to what he claimed to be a mini fan convention and tell them that there were more fans coming. The site of the "convention" turned out to be a hotel and when they reached their destination they soon realised that they were alone in a room with Wu.
  3. Du received a total of 500,000 CNY (around $77,500 USD) as hush money and included a video of the transaction. She stated that she's returning the money.
  4. Du had been invited to his home under the pretence of a work opportunity, where she was pressured to drink alcohol and then raped. She awoke naked on his bed.
  5. Wu had an STI while seeing a girl and forced her to get an abortion.
  6. 7 other women have told her that Wu had raped them after using the same method he had used on Du, promises of jobs and other opportunities.

After she was interviewed by NetEase, a major news portal, the allegations gained further attention.[8] Following the accusations, Du has also responded to Wu's legal team and has said that she and the other victims will hand over their evidence to the police in due course.[15]

On his personal Weibo account, Wu has denied plying Ms Du with alcohol, and also rejected other allegations that he had enticed girls to have sex in return for benefits, raped girls while they were unconscious, and had sex with minors.[12] He also announced that his company will take legal actions, calling the accusations "malicious rumours".[8]

Process[]

On July 31, 2021, Wu was detained by the Beijing Chaoyang District police on suspicion of rape after "repeatedly seducing young women into having sex", the police said in an official statement.[8][16]

China's top law enforcement agency, the ruling Communist Party's Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission, commented on Wu's detention, posting on Weibo:

"On Chinese land, it is necessary to abide by Chinese laws. We do not wrong; we do not indulge. We take facts as the basis and the law as the criterion."[8][17]

The Communist Party's mouthpiece, People's Daily, used the arrest to warn that foreign citizenship was not any protection against violating Chinese laws after questions aroused whether Wu's Canadian citizenship would affect his punishment:

"On Chinese soil, everyone is equal before the law. No-one has any amulet. Star aura cannot protect it, fans cannot protect it, and foreign passports cannot protect it. No-one has the privilege of trespassing the law." - State broadcaster CCTV in an online commentary[14]

On August 16, 2021, he was formally arrested over allegations of rape. The statement from the prosecutor's office in Beijing's Chaoyang said Wu's arrest for suspected rape was formally approved, but it did not offer any details on the charges.[11]

Influence[]

Judiciary[]

Given the prevalence of sexual assault in China, the Chinese government is utilizing this high-profile case to bring attention to the issue.[18] As a result, there has been more awareness of gender-based violence in China, first sparked by the 2018 #MeToo movement, where women voiced their experiences of sexual harassment, sometimes involving high-profile figures. Many users on Weibo have thanked Du for speaking out against Wu and raising awareness for other women who have faced similar experiences.[12][8] However due to government censorship and control of the media, it's not clear whether Wu's arrest reflects that the Chinese Communist Party is prioritising the treatment of women.[14]

Works removed[]

On the evening of August 1, 2021, QQ Music and NetEase Music removed all of Kris Wu’s music from the shelves. The official Weibo account of big-budget costume drama 'The Golden Hairpin', which stars Wu, deleted all posts related to him, leaving only a poster featuring the show's supporting characters. 'The Golden Hairpin', produced by Tencent Video, is Wu's first TV drama. Wu's account on the short video platform Douyin, was also blocked and followers have been removed and his Weibo profile has been taken down due to "Complaints in violating the rules and regulations of Weibo's Community Convention".[19]

Brands and companies[]

Numerous companies have followed suit in ousting Wu: brand endorsement deals were ended; social media posts that featured him were removed,[4] and he was later blacklisted by several networks. Below lists some of the entities that have either condemned Wu or disassociated themselves from him:

Prior relevant laws and regulations in Mainland China[]

Ban of "notorious" artists[]

In September 2014, the National Radio and Television Administration issued the "Notice of the National Radio and Television Administration Office on Strengthening the Management of the Production and Distribution of Radio and Television Programs, Film and TV Dramas, and Online Audio-visual Programs". Artists listed in this order are called "notorious" and could face permanent boycott from the industry.[23]

Relevant laws and regulations[]

Mainland China has clear legal regulations on sex crimes. According to Article 236 of the Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China, the crime of rape refers to the act of using violence, coercion or other means against a woman’s will to forcibly have sexual intercourse with her, or deliberately have sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of fourteen. Anyone who rapes a woman by violence, coercion or other means shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of no less than three years but no more than ten years. Whoever commits adultery with a girl under the age of fourteen shall be punished as severely as rape, up to the death penalty. Anyone who commits a joint offense by two or more persons shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of more than ten years, life imprisonment or a death sentence.[24] In addition, according to the territorial principle, if the crime occurred in China, the same sentences apply regardless of the nationality of the offender.[25]

Because Wu is Canadian, if he is formally convicted by the judiciary, he may also be deported, since according to Article 35 of the Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China, foreigners who commit crimes can face deportation.[26] Some publications pointed out that the Chinese-American lawyer Bao Yuming, who was previously convicted of "violating social ethics and public order and good customs" in his sexual assault case, was deported.[27]

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Chinese: 都美竹
  2. ^ Given name not given due to anonymosity[1]

References[]

  1. ^ McDonald, Joe; Ting, Fu (July 22, 2021). "Chinese Canadian pop singer Kris Wu defrauded in sexual assault scandal, say police". CBC. Associated Press. Archived from the original on July 23, 2021. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "吳亦凡爆「酒局選妃」睡8女！央視出手了　品牌方終止合作". SET News. July 18, 2021.
  3. ^ 張筱涵 (July 20, 2021). "懶人包／吳亦凡酒局「20女 vs. 4男」！　4000字揪「完整時間軸」". ETtoday新聞雲 (in Chinese). Archived from the original on July 27, 2021.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Mei Zi, Tan (July 19, 2021). "Chinese rapper Kris Wu denies accusations he raped over 30 women, including minors". Malay Mail. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
  5. ^ Inna Chou. "吳亦凡、都美竹事件整理！私下和解對話曝光、吳亦凡工作室澄清卻遭網打臉". Vogue Taiwan. Archived from the original on August 2, 2021. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  6. ^ 洛杉矶侨报网 (August 10, 2021). "律师证实：吴亦凡涉嫌在洛杉矶强奸未成年女粉丝" (in Chinese).
  7. ^ Inna Chou. "吳亦凡、都美竹事件整理！私下和解對話曝光、吳亦凡工作室澄清卻遭網打臉". Vogue Taiwan. Archived from the original on August 2, 2021. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f CNN, Jessie Yeung. "Pop star Kris Wu detained in China after rape allegations". CNN. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Kris Wu vs. Du Meizhu — The Full Timeline Of Events That Has Taken Over Chinese And International Media". Koreaboo. July 19, 2021. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
  10. ^ "Brands drop Chinese-Canadian star Kris Wu over sex allegations". BBC News. July 20, 2021. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
  11. ^ Jump up to: a b CNN, Jessie Yeung and Nectar Gan. "Pop star Kris Wu formally arrested in China on suspicion of rape". CNN. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Kris Wu: K-Pop star arrested on suspicion of rape". BBC News. July 31, 2021. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
  13. ^ "[TW] 19-year-old Du Meizhu accuses Kris Wu of allegedly raping her and 30 other girls, including underage teenagers". allkpop. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
  14. ^ Jump up to: a b c "A Chinese star was accused of rape. What followed offers clues into Beijing's new stance on fame". www.abc.net.au. August 5, 2021. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
  15. ^ "[TW] 19-year-old Du Meizhu accuses Kris Wu of allegedly raping her and 30 other girls, including underage teenagers". allkpop. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
  16. ^ Davis, Rebecca (July 31, 2021). "Kris Wu Detained by Chinese Police on Suspicion of Rape". Variety. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  17. ^ 央视网评论员. "吴亦凡一案，该让某些走火入魔的粉丝清醒了！". Weixin Official Accounts Platform. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
  18. ^ "如何认定强奸？吴某凡被刑拘背后的五个法律问题". 澎湃新闻. August 1, 2021 – via Sohu.
  19. ^ "吴亦凡被刑拘后遭全网封杀！社交账号被封 所有音乐作品下架". 凤凰网. Archived from the original on August 1, 2021. Retrieved August 1, 2021.
  20. ^ Jump up to: a b c Suen, Zoe (July 23, 2021). "Louis Vuitton Terminates Kris Wu Contract After Police Investigation". The Business of Fashion. Archived from the original on July 27, 2021. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  21. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h "Brands cut ties with Chinese star Kris Wu over rape and teen sex allegations | Advertising". Campaign Asia. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
  22. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Zhang, Tianwei (July 19, 2021). "Louis Vuitton Ends Kris Wu Endorsement Over Predatory Claims". WWD. Archived from the original on July 27, 2021. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  23. ^ ""劣迹艺人"惩戒复出程序业内首次明确 或被永久抵制". Sina Finance (in Chinese). February 5, 2021. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
  24. ^ "吃了两天瓜，也该正经聊点法律问题了！". 中国新闻网 (in Chinese). July 22, 2021. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  25. ^ "吴亦凡被指涉嫌性侵："即使他是加拿大人 中国也有权管辖"". 新浪网 (in Chinese). July 19, 2021. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  26. ^ ""吴亦凡事件"法律问题分析". 新浪司法 (in Chinese). July 20, 2021. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  27. ^ "男星吴亦凡引舆论风暴 事实不清央视忙发声". Radio Free Asia (in Indonesian). July 20, 2021. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
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