Chinese-Canadian pop star, Kris Wu has been formally arrested on suspicion of rape, prosecutors in Beijing have disclosed in a statement.
The move comes after 30-year-old Wu was first detained on July 31 by police in the Chinese capital, following an online outcry over sexual assault allegation against him in what has become the most high-profile #Metoo case in China.
The allegations first emerged last month on Chinese social media platform Weibo, when a woman posting under the verified handle, Du Meizhu alleged Wu, whose Chinese name is Wu Yifan, had sexually assaulted her while she was drunk at the pop star’s home, where she said she had gone for a casting interview.
The woman, a student at the Communication University of China in Beijing, said she was 17 at the time of the alleged assault.
Du later alleged that several other women, including two minors, had reached out to her to share similar experiences of being lured into having sex by Wu, who is one of China’s biggest stars.
The brief statement from the prosecutor’s office in Beijing’s Chaoyang stated that Wu’s arrest for suspected rape has been formally approved, but it did not offer any details on the charges.
Before he was detained, Wu had denied the allegations on his personal Weibo account. His company said it was pursuing legal action against his accuser, calling the accusations “malicious rumors.”
Wu, who was born in southern China but is a Canadian citizen, rose to fame as a member of popular Korean-Chinese pop group EXO, then as a solo act after he left the band in 2014. He starred in multiple movies and modeled for brands like Burberry, soon becoming one of the country’s top brand ambassadors.
However, many of his biggest brand partners were quick to distance themselves as the rape allegations spread in July.
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French fashion house, Louis Vuitton, Italian luxury brand, Bulgari, and Chinese cosmetics brand, Kans, were among those that suspended or cut off ties completely with the star.
Wu’s dramatic downfall only accelerated after his detention. His once wildly popular social media accounts, including his Weibo page with more than 51 million followers, were taken down overnight. His songs were also removed from music streaming sites.
Wu’s arrest and #MeToo have also become the top trending topic on Weibo, with most comments supporting the police action as it has amassed 1.6 billion views.
Women in China face unique #MeToo challenges, but see some progress
Speaking about the #MeToo campaign, activists say the recent case shows the government is still reluctant to discuss sexual misconduct as a systemic problem, instead preferring to report on individual cases and cast blame elsewhere.
A prominent Chinese feminist now based in New York, Lv Pin addressing the issue said:
“Part of the reason the government is so wary of acknowledging public outrage around these underlying issues is because it might encourage greater social organizing and activism.
“The alleged victim who stepped forward in the Kris Wu case alluded to #MeToo, which can easily draw censorship on social media”.
Lv Pin
However, Lv Pin was quick to add that, the case still offers a ray of hope and a sign that even if the government doesn’t want to talk about sexual misconduct, the public does.
“No matter whether they call it #MeToo or not, the essence is #MeToo. Although most prominent feminist social media accounts have been censored, the victims can always manage to find their own ways to speak out”.
Lv Pin
Read also: Bill Cosby freed after top court overturns sexual assault conviction
