Lack of evidence can hamper justice

Collection of evidence is a huge challenge for women who bring lawsuits related to sexual harassment, according to legal experts.

"First, only indecent behavior and rape are crimes under the Chinese Criminal Law, and second, it is difficult to provide conclusive evidence in sexual harassment cases," said Chen Wei, from the Yingke Law Firm in Beijing, who specializes in laws related to domestic disputes and the protection of women.

Sexual harassment is defined as bullying or coercion of a sexual nature, and it can develop into sexual assault, an indecent act or even rape depending on the scale of the offender's behavior, she said, adding that people convicted of minor sexual misconduct only face light administrative punishments, such as being detained for 15 days.