[JURIST] A Chinese office manager has become the first man to be imprisoned under a Chinese sexual harassment law [Xinhua report] passed in 2005, according to reports on Wednesday. Previous cases brought under the law have been settled through civil litigation. Women's rights advocates say that sexual harassment has long been a prevalent problem in China [China Daily survey], but that women have only recently begun to come forward with complaints as they become more aware of their legal rights. The Guardian has more. Sina has local coverage, in Chinese.

China first considered legislation to criminalize sexual harassment [JURIST report] in 2005. The draft amendment to the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Rights and Interests of Women [text], designed to protect women's rights, mandated that no one shall be allowed to subject women to sexual harassment and all employers shall take measures against sexual harassment in working places.