Online discussion over victim-blaming has been sparked by a contentious lecture on sexual harassment at a middle school in southern China. Many commenters have criticised both the school and what they see to be an inadequate response from administrators.
According to Chinese state media People’s Daily, the school, which is located in Zhaoqing city in Guangdong province, offered a “mental health education” lesson last year, which is comparable to a sex education class in China.
However, images of the lesson plans only started to circulate last month, displaying papers that claimed that sexual harassment victims “suffer because they dress flamboyantly and behave flirtatiously.” “Girls should avoid frivolous behaviour and should not wear transparent or skimpy clothing,” it continued.
On social media, the images sparked outrage and scepticism, with many accusing conservative beliefs of reflecting deeply ingrained gender inequity in a patriarchal society.
On the Chinese social media site Weibo, one of the top comments had 19,000 likes and said, “The teacher of that class is problematic.” Others highlighted the risks of victim blaming and the ways that women are frequently the targets of violence regardless of what they are wearing.
Local educational authorities responded to the criticism by issuing a statement last week stating that the online images depicted a lecture given at the institution in April.
The statement read, “The lecture contained some inappropriate expressions, which led to misunderstanding among (online users).”
The school was also instructed to assess its lectures and enhance teacher training after the county’s education bureau “criticised and educated relevant personnel,” according to the document.
The official statement, however, also provoked criticism for some. Many argued that the teaching materials had not been an innocent mistake but rather a representation of true, widely held opinions in the nation, and that the language of the statement, “misunderstanding,” was incorrect.
One reply stated, “People online didn’t’misunderstand,'” “The penalty is too light.”
On its website or social media accounts, the school has not yet published any official statements. The school has been contacted by CNN for comment.
Similar controversy has been sparked by a number of cases over the years, particularly in light of China’s #MeToo movement, which has persevered despite numerous losses owing to censorship and an ongoing crackdown on feminist activity.
For instance, state media The Paper reported that a guy assaulted a young woman at a Zhejiang public lavatory in November. She was “skimpily dressed,” according to internet reviewers, but her mother told The Paper: “What does clothing have to do with being beaten? Would that constitute a crime?
And in 2021, a contentious advertisement for makeup removal wipes was removed from the internet following a significant uproar. The commercial depicted a woman being chased down the street at night by a would-be assailant, who flees in panic after she removes her makeup.