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A 24-year-old influencer who shared a video online of a male stranger harassing her to go drinking that went viral has been exposed by police as a hoaxer seeking followers.The influencer, surnamed Shen, claimed in a social media post on July 28 that she and a friend were eating a late-night meal at a restaurant in Changsha, Hunan province in southern China when an unknown man approached them.
Concerned about the man’s intentions and for their safety, Shen said she decided to record the interaction.In the video, she initially refused the man’s request, saying: “We really don’t drink,” to which he replied: “Just one drink, let’s have a drink and become friends.”Shen tried other excuses: “We caught a cold and can’t drink, sorry.”
The man replied: “When we have a cold, we drink alcohol. Alcohol will disinfect you.”“Drinking one glass will make us friends. My buddies are all here, give me some face.”The video’s subtitles stated that Shen was angry by this point but that she and her friend were too afraid to confront the man.The man persisted: “Just one drink. It’s a matter of courtesy when someone toasts you.”“I just want to be friends with you. Let’s exchange contact information and get to know each other,” he added.Shen replied: “I’m sorry, I have a boyfriend, and I can’t add you on WeChat. My boyfriend is very aggressive; he is abusive and violent. I really can’t do it.”However, the man continued to pressure Shen.“Then your boyfriend isn’t good for you. It’s better to add me; we are gentlemen towards women,” he said.Shen said she and her friend were frightened and quickly settled the bill and left the restaurant.
The video immediately went viral on social media, where it was widely perceived as authentic, with many people sharing similar experiences.Some also recalled a recent harassment story where a drunk man severely beat a woman at a restaurant in northern China after she told him to stop harassing her while she was dining.In response to Shen’s video, local police and internet authorities launched an investigation.It was soon revealed that the video had been staged and the dialogue scripted by Shen and her team after Changsha Police looked into the matter.Shen reportedly told police she fabricated the entire encounter: “To keep up with the trends, attract traffic, and ultimately make profits.”On July 31, Shen and three other suspects were detained by police, who ordered the short video platform where Shen uploaded her clips to ban her account. It was not reported which platform it was.The revelation saw public opinion swing against Shen immediately afterwards.One person commented: “Shameless for traffic!”Another person observed: “They are doing real harm to women. If such a thing happens in the future, people might think it’s staged and then ignore it! How can it be just administrative detention for the culprits!”
*The opinions expressed in the article are solely those of the author.* Follow Us
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