Recently, Zhu Jun, a famous host of CCTV, withdrew the reputation dispute case against former intern Xianzi due to illness, which caused widespread attention and discussion among netizens.
This is a sexual harassment case related to the #MeToo movement, which lasted nearly seven years and went through the process of first instance, second instance and counterclaim, and finally ended with Zhu Jun's unilateral withdrawal of the lawsuit. Xianzi and his lawyer issued a statement on the same day, responding to Zhu Jun's reasons for withdrawing the lawsuit, while insisting that he had not lied or fabricated facts, nor had he reached any settlement or negotiation with Zhu Jun.
The cause of the sexual harassment case against Zhu Jun dates back to 2014, when, as an intern in CCTV's "Art of Life" program team, Xianzi interviewed Zhu Jun alone in the dressing room, during which Zhu Jun tried to molest him through his clothes, until someone else entered the dressing room, and Xianzi was able to escape. Xianzi called the police the day after the incident, but the police did not file a case, and the police asked Xianzi to consider Zhu Jun's "positive influence" and sent police officers to Wuhan to inform Xianzi's family. After Xianzi was warned and persuaded at the police station, the case was closed.
In July 2018, as the #MeToo movement swept through China, Xianzi accused Zhu Jun of sexual harassment through Xu Chao (Sina Weibo: @麦烧同学) on Sina Weibo, which attracted widespread social attention. Soon after, related Weibo topics and hot searches were deleted, and Xianzi's revelations were also blocked.
In interviews with Caixin and other media, Xianzi described his experience in detail and expressed his hope to protect his rights and interests through legal channels. Zhu Jun issued a statement through the law firm, denying Xianzi's allegations and filing a lawsuit with the Haidian District People's Court in Beijing, demanding that Xianzi and Xu Chao delete the infringing content, publicly apologize, and pay 655,000 yuan in compensation.
In October 2018, Xianzi's case against Zhu Jun was accepted by the Haidian District People's Court in Beijing. From internal court documents, she obtained the file she reported at the police station in 2014 and submitted two applications to the court, changing the case to "sexual harassment damage liability dispute" and requesting that both parties in the case undergo polygraphs. Through Weibo, Xianzi also connects with other women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted, accompanies them to the police station to file criminal reports, and helps them seek justice.
In December 2020, the case of Xianzi v. Zhu Jun over liability for sexual harassment damages was heard in the Haidian District People's Court, but it was not heard in public. On the same day, some supporters of Xianzi expressed their solidarity at the entrance of the courthouse, and some foreign media reporters who came to cover the news were taken away by the police.
After the trial, Xianzi read a statement to supporters outside the courthouse, saying that the judge had not given him a chance to elaborate on the charges and had not allowed the prosecution to access multiple pieces of evidence, such as surveillance footage, group photos, transcript documents and DNA on the clothes he was wearing. In a statement, Xianzi said: "Thank you very much, I will definitely appeal." Zhu Jun did not appear in court on the day of the trial, nor did he respond to Xianzi's statement after the trial.
In September 2021, the Beijing No. 1 Intermediate People's Court heard the case in the second instance, still upholding the first-instance judgment and rejecting Xianzi's claim on the grounds of insufficient evidence. Xianzi expressed disappointment and anger at the verdict, arguing that the court did not hear the case fairly and did not respect her personality rights. She also said that she would not give up defending her rights and would not let Zhu Jun go, and that she would continue to seek other ways to make Zhu Jun receive the punishment he deserved.
In September 2023, Zhu Jun filed a lawsuit with the court to withdraw the dispute over the right to honor against Xianzi, ending the seven-year lawsuit. According to media reports, the reason for Zhu Jun's withdrawal of the lawsuit was that he had a serious illness in April this year, and now he has not fully recovered, plus he is about to retire, and the relevant leaders talked to him, hoping that the big things will be turned into small things.
Zhu Jun's withdrawal of the lawsuit was not agreed to by Xianzi, nor did he reach any settlement or negotiation with Xianzi. Xianzi and his lawyer issued a statement on the same day, responding to Zhu's reasons for withdrawing the lawsuit, while insisting that he had not lied or fabricated facts, nor had he had any private dealings with Zhu.
Some people think that this is a compromise and concession of Zhu Jun, others think that this is a helplessness and powerlessness of Zhu Jun, and some people think that this is an evasion and cowardice of Zhu Jun.
Many netizens also expressed dissatisfaction with the trial process of this case, believing that the court did not give Xianzi enough respect and protection, did not give Zhu Jun a fair trial, and did not give the society a clear answer.
The withdrawal of this case has not ended the controversy, but has made it more complex and profound. This is not only a dispute between individuals, but also a social event, involving important topics such as gender equality, human dignity, and legal justice. The withdrawal of this case did not change the fate of Xianzi and Zhu Jun, but made their fate more sad and helpless.
Xianzi did not get the justice and compensation she wanted, and Zhu Jun did not restore the reputation and status he once had. They are all victims and participants in this case. Their story, perhaps, is not over,