Contrasting systems, sympathetic struggles: #MeToo activists’ legal engagement in mainland China and Taiwan

Xianan Jin and Leiyun Ni

Chapter 23 in Research Handbook on Gender, Violence and Law, 2026, pp 377-392 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This study examines the challenges faced by #MeToo activists in Mainland China and Taiwan. Drawing on interviews with activists, we illustrate the strategies utilized to (dis)engage with legal systems to achieve meaningful justice for sexual violence survivors, and discuss how their experiences were shaped by contrasting political contexts. In Mainland China, where the #MeToo movement and feminist organizing are suppressed, few activists were able to work within the legal system; others developed community-based practices outside of the courtroom. In contrast, in Taiwan's liberal democratic setting, the #MeToo movement gained greater prominence, and feminist ideas are more readily integrated into the legal reform process. Taiwanese activists operate within a more open environment, enabling greater dialogue and social impact through both legal and public campaigns. Despite these contextual differences, activists shared a somewhat sympathetic struggle in reshaping public discourse on sexual violence and seeking justice outside the punitive confines of the law.

Keywords: #MeToo Movement; Sexual Harassment; Legal Justice; State Violence; China; Taiwan (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035319398
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