[Trigger warning: This letter contains material about sexual and dating violence.]
On Saturday night, Chinese Canadian singer and rapper Kris Wu was detained by Beijing police on alleged suspicion of rape. Wu, 30, is a former member of K-pop band Exo and is considered to be an extremely popular artist in China.
In a translated post on the Beijing Chaoyang district police’s Weibo page, Variety revealed:
“In response to internet reports, Wu X-fan has repeatedly tricked young women into having sex and other related issues, Wu X-fan (male, 30, Canadian) has been detained in accordance with the law after police investigations for the suspected crime of rape.”
Back in July, Du Meizhu, a 19-year-old college student alleged online that after she met Wu (then age-17), his agent invited her to Wu’s home “with the suggestion that he could help her acting career,” according to the New York Times.
“Once there, she was pressured to drink cocktails until she lost consciousness, she said, and later found herself in his bed. Ms. Du said she believed that this was a tactic he used to draw other young women.” While Wu has denied Du’s accusations, there are at least 24 more women who have come forward alleging similar, inappropriate behavior, according to the BBC.
“A foreign nationality is not a talisman,” says the Chinese Communist Party’s People‘s Daily news outlet. “No matter how famous one is, there is no immunity.” In support of Du’s accusation, millions of supporters took to Weibo, using the hashtag #girlshelpgirls” – while A-list brands formerly partnered with Wu, like Louis Vuitton and Porsche quickly dropping the TikTok star.
Wu has also denied the other allegations of him enticing other women to have sex with him in return for benefits. Under Chinese law, individuals under 18-years of age are considered to be “minors,” while the age of sexual consent is 14-years-old.
Unfortunately, predatory behavior that is becoming far too common throughout Hollywood, most recently with former Disney Channel star Kyle Massey. Massey, who co-starred on Disney Channel’s That’s So Raven and Cory in the House, was indicted back in June for alleged charges of immoral communication with a minor. On Saturday, a Washington State judge issued a $100,000 warrant for Massey’s arrest, after he failed to appear for his arraignment for the second time.
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If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault, we encourage you to reach out for support:
RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline
http://www.rainn.org
1 800 656 HOPE (4673)
Crisis Text Line
http://www.facebook.com/crisistextline (chat support)
SMS: Text “HERE” to 741-741
