Chinese Canadian pop star and actor Kris Wu has been detained in Beijing on suspicion of rape, The New York Times and The Guardian report. The development comes weeks after a teenage university student accused Wu of pressuring her to drink alcohol, which she said led her to lose conscious and wake up in his bed the next day, as BBC News notes. The student also accused Wu of treating multiple young women in a similar manner.
The New York Times reports that the Chaoyang District branch of the Beijing police is detaining Wu while the department investigates the allegations that he “repeatedly deceived young women into sexual relations.”
Kris Wu, a former member of K-pop band Exo and an immensely popular artist in China, faced a massive online outcry in the wake of the allegations, leading brands including Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, Porsche and L’Oréal to cut ties with him. In posts made on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, Wu denied the allegations made by the student.
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