Wuhan University revokes student penalty after sexual harassment case ruling

Wuhan University has revoked a disciplinary penalty against a student after a court upheld a ruling dismissing sexual harassment claims against him.

On September 20, the Wuhan Intermediate People's Court confirmed it had dismissed the appeal of a female student surnamed Yang, who accused fellow student surnamed Xiao of sexual harassment. The ruling maintained a July 25 decision by the Wuhan Economic and Technological Development Zone People's Court, which had rejected Yang's claims in full.

Following the judgment, Wuhan University said it had completed an expert-led review of both Xiao's disciplinary record and Yang's master's thesis.

Regarding Yang's thesis, titled An Economic Analysis of the Impact of Fertility Behavior on Domestic Violence in China and India, the university detailed an extensive investigation.

Initial checks in 2024 showed a duplication rate of 1.9 percent, within institutional thresholds, and the thesis passed external peer review and committee approval.

In August 2025, amid public scrutiny, the school organized two rounds of evaluations by internal and external experts. The review concluded the thesis employed valid data and methods and did not involve plagiarism or fabrication.

However, it identified more than 100 minor issues of improper citation, formatting, and wording. The university acknowledged shortcomings in supervision and review but upheld the decision to award Yang a master's degree.

Wuhan University also announced accountability measures. Several administrators and faculty members were disciplined for inadequate oversight, receiving warnings, written inspections, or suspension of supervisory duties. Yang's advisor was formally criticized and barred from enrolling graduate students for two years.

The statement further rejected a series of online rumors, clarifying that Yang's thesis had never been rated "excellent," no revisions were approved, and Xiao's academic progress was unaffected. Allegations involving family backgrounds or purported family tragedies were also dismissed as false.

The case dates back to July 2023, when Yang accused Xiao of sexual harassment, alleging that he masturbated in her direction while she was studying in the campus library. She filmed the incident with her phone and had Xiao write an apology letter, which he did. Yang then asked the university to impose disciplinary action.

On October 11, 2023, Yang published details of the incident on WeChat, drawing widespread public attention. Two days later, Wuhan University announced it had given Xiao a demerit.

In February 2024, Xiao's mother said on Weibo that her son suffered from atopic dermatitis, a chronic skin condition causing severe itching, and that he had been scratching himself in the library.

She added that Xiao developed post-traumatic stress disorder from the incident and subsequent cyberbullying, leading to suicidal thoughts. According to her, Xiao wrote the apology letter to avoid a public confrontation.

In June 2024, Yang filed a civil lawsuit, accusing Xiao of public indecency and seeking a 15-day public apology in a newspaper along with 5,000 yuan (US$693) in compensation. In July 2025, the court ruled against her. She later appealed, but the Wuhan Intermediate People's Court upheld the original verdict in September 2025.