In 2023, Cui Lili was sexually assaulted by her boss while on a business trip. Her attacker was eventually convicted and sent to prison. Cui was fired.

Since that night, she has fought not only for justice against her rapist but also against her former employer, auto parts manufacturer DECO Automotive, resulting in a landmark — yet “emotionally draining” — battle through the Chinese legal system.

After almost two years of claim and counterclaim, the 40-year-old was eventually awarded 1.13 million yuan ($158,825) in compensation for illegal dismissal and “work-related injury,” although DECO has appealed the ruling. For a recent hearing, she wore the same clothes she had on during her assault — a form of exposure therapy.

Cui says she has survived the ordeal through professional psychological help and the support of her husband, adding that she receives messages from women in a similar position every day.

Wheels of justice

On Sept. 22, 2023, Cui — then a sales director for DECO, based in the northern city of Tianjin — arrived in Hangzhou, capital of the eastern Zhejiang province, for a business dinner with Wang Hao, the company’s general manager, and a client. In the early hours of the next day, when Cui was intoxicated, she was sexually assaulted by Wang in a hotel room.

After the incident was reported to the police, Wang was detained and eventually convicted of rape, receiving a sentence of four years in prison on April 2 last year.

Sixteen days later, DECO dismissed Cui — who had been suspended without pay soon after the assault — on the grounds that she had “failed to follow leave procedures and had a record of unauthorized absences,” sparking an arduous process of labor arbitration and lawsuits.

Cui began by making a work-related injury claim to Tianjin’s Jinnan District Human Resources and Social Security Bureau. The authority ruled in her favor on Dec. 3, 2024, prompting DECO to file an unsuccessful administrative lawsuit to overturn the decision, arguing that the matter was purely a personal dispute between Cui and Wang.

As a result, not only was Cui’s case in seeking compensation strengthened, but she also became the first victim of a work-related sexual assault in China to receive such an ascertainment.

Shortly after, Cui filed a case with the local arbitration commission, which ruled that her dismissal was illegal on March 24 this year. DECO was ordered to reinstate her labor contract and pay 1.13 million yuan, comprising back wages, overtime pay, and unused annual leave.

The company again appealed the decision, filing a lawsuit with the Jinnan District People’s Court, and a hearing was set for Sept. 23 — two years to the day of the attack.

Cui carried to court a 258-page dossier of evidence, including her work-related injury certificate. No representatives from DECO attended the hearing, only the company’s attorneys. The case was adjourned to allow time for both parties to submit further documentation.

The following day, Cui, who was in low spirits, went to a local hospital to receive psychological counseling. During every court appearance, she tries hard to restrain herself, to stay calm even in the face of DECO lawyers’ “agitating and provocative” arguments, but afterward she is always “completely drained” and requires treatment for her anxiety.

To help her relax, Cui’s husband took her on a night cruise along Tianjin’s Haihe River and a walk through its popular Jinwan Square. They reminisced about their time as students in Tianjin in the early 2000s.

Cui recalls her husband saying, “Life moves quickly. Even the hardest days pass — let alone these past two or three years. Though it feels like an ordeal, we’ve endured much and accomplished things step by step.”

Since the assault, Cui is regularly awakened by nightmares, but that night she slept right through to 5 a.m. Here, she shares with The Paper her feelings on the process and her ongoing recovery.

The Paper: How are you feeling after this latest hearing?

Cui: This hearing began at 9:15 a.m. and finished around noon. I felt more resilient this time. Hearing some statements from the company’s lawyer didn’t get to me as much as before. Earlier, they would counter my work-related injury claim, insisting my rape by Wang was a private matter between the two of us. But this time, when questioned by the judge, they acknowledged that the work-related injury judgment was solid.

The hearing centered on the 1.13 million yuan in compensation that the company was ordered to pay me by the labor arbitration commission in March. I originally made a claim of more than 1.6 million yuan. Of the amount I was awarded, nearly 850,000 yuan was from lost wages, covering the 16-month period from Sept. 23, 2023, to January this year. The rest is unpaid overtime and annual leave accrued before the incident.

The Paper: Is DECO Automobile refusing to pay the compensation?

Cui: The company appealed the arbitration commission’s ruling. I’ve also lodged a new claim — about 500,000 yuan — for an additional eight months of unpaid annual leave from February to September this year. So, the focus wasn’t solely the 1.13 million; it’s actually the 1.6 million yuan I claimed during the labor arbitration, plus this 500,000 yuan, amounting to a total claim of 2.1 million yuan.

The Paper: How did you feel about the labor arbitration ruling?

Cui: For a full month after, I was completely drained. I could barely get out of bed. When the company appealed, it felt like my hard-won victory had been ripped away. I thought, “I’ve finally won the arbitration, but now the company is after me again.” It felt like it would never end.

The Paper: What comes next?

Cui: I need to submit some new evidence to the judge within a week, including a statement and arguments, so I still have a lot to do. I started organizing them at five this morning. It’s grueling, to be honest. I’ve almost reached a point of exhaustion.

The Paper: You’ve said in the past that therapy helped rebuild your confidence and trust. Where are you now in that process?

Cui: Regarding Wang and traumatic memories from the incident — such as seeing a bald man, as Wang is bald — I’m no longer afraid. But hotel settings, like corridors and even the word “hotel,” can still trigger my anxiety. It’s now about trusting people; this is probably the hardest thing for me to rebuild.

After the work-related injury ruling, the company’s repeated legal challenges have compounded the trauma. My therapy continually circles back to restoring a sense of trust and safety. My therapist says that as long as I’m still in litigation, treatment will have its ups and downs. Sometimes I feel better for a few days, but after a while, I will suffer another setback.

The Paper: What’s it like meeting with friends?

Cui: I’ve met with two friends over the past six months. One is a friend from Hangzhou who helped me when I went back to the city to collect evidence after the incident; she came to Tianjin to see me in early June. In August, I also saw a high school classmate who knows what happened to me.

It took time to reach this point. I discussed my reluctance to meet with people with my therapist. My concern wasn’t about being judged but being treated with excessive caution — being handled like a fragile object.

My therapist urged me to embrace the uncertainty: “If they seek you out, they care. That’s what matters.” So, I agreed to meet, though the night before each encounter, my anxiety resurfaced. The rational me keeps telling myself not to let one horrific experience isolate me from everyone.

The Paper: How did you feel after those meetings?

Cui: When I actually met them, I realized there was nothing to worry about. Of course, I didn’t bring up my attack; I just told them what I’m doing now and my future plans. I also listened to their advice and reassured them not to worry about me. Seeing them and reminiscing about our school days brought back such beautiful memories. So meeting them was worthwhile; it dispelled my concerns.

My emotions can fluctuate greatly, and they did especially from March to August this year. My therapist advised me not to immerse myself in the painful memories of the assault, suggesting I prioritize my recovery and legal battle before supporting others.

Since May, I’ve resolved not to rush into thinking about what to do in the future, but to focus on the present. I need treatment to stabilize my condition, and I need to defend my rights step by step. Those two tasks are demanding enough. When I get better one day, I can help others and do the things I find valuable.

My husband has told me the same. I’ve let go of the pressure to fix everything. You can’t pour from an empty cup. Feeling unable to help others while struggling yourself deepens the helplessness. It’s hard to bear.

Reported by Yuan Lu.

A version of this article originally appeared in The Paper. It has been translated and edited for brevity and clarity, and is republished here with permission.

Translator: Kiong Xin Xi; editors: Wang Juyi and Hao Qibao.

(Header image: Visuals from VCG, reedited by Sixth Tone)