A court in China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region sentenced a former high school teacher to 18 years in prison on Monday for raping and molesting a female student. The crimes occurred in 2019, and the victim later died by suicide due to depression. Authorities acted after public complaints earlier this year.
The Youjiang District People's Court in Baise delivered its first-instance verdict after a public hearing, convicting Tang Yuwen of rape and forcible molestation. He received 15 years for rape and five years for molestation, merged into an 18-year prison term, plus a five-year deprivation of political rights. Tang is permanently banned from roles involving close contact with minors and must compensate the victim's parents for economic losses.
Court records indicate that from September to November 2019, while serving as the student's head teacher at a senior high school, Tang committed two rapes and one forcible molestation against the female student, who was battling depression at the time. She graduated in June 2020, repeated a year at another high school, and enrolled in university in September 2021. She dropped out in September 2023 due to illness and died by suicide at home in January 2025 during a depressive episode.
Forensic analysis concluded that Tang's actions were not the direct cause of the victim's death but worsened her condition. The court described the offenses as vicious, with severe consequences and significant social harm, justifying strict punishment under the law.
The case gained public notice in February 2025 following an online complaint posted on February 10. The next day, Baise authorities formed a joint task force from education, public security, and disciplinary inspection departments to probe the allegations. Tang was expelled from the Communist Party of China and removed from public service on February 11, after which police imposed criminal coercive measures.
