Shanxi man sentenced to prison for rape after engagement, sparks online debate

In a case that has stirred huge online attention, a man in Datong, Shanxi province, was convicted of rape and sentenced to three years in prison for engaging in sexual intercourse with his fiancee, as announced by the Yanggao County People's Court on Monday.

The case had garnered attention online with various claims, including allegations of "marriage fraud," "extortion using rape accusations," and suggestions that the victim had a history of marriage. The court, however, refuted these claims, labeling them as false information.

According to the court's findings, the man, identified as surnamed Xi, and the victim were introduced through a local matchmaking agency on Jan 30 of this year. They became engaged on May 1. However, on the afternoon of the next day, inside a residence in Yanggao, Xi allegedly ignored the victim's resistance and engaged in non-consensual intercourse. The victim reported the incident to the police later that night.

Following an investigation by the Yanggao police, Xi was placed under criminal detention on May 5.

In the first-instance ruling handed down on Monday, the court concluded that Xi's actions constituted the crime of rape and handed down a three-year prison sentence.

The court clarified that Xi and the victim had not registered their marriage with the civil affairs department. Their engagement was considered a customary practice and not a legally registered marriage.

Following the verdict, the defendant's mother, identified as surnamed Zhen, told media outlet High Wind News that her son did not accept the judgment and immediately filed an appeal.

Zhen claimed that the woman demanded the property deed with her name added and an additional bride-price of 100,000 yuan ($14,000) right after the sexual encounter. However, they lacked the funds at the time, and the property deed was not readily available. Consequently, the woman accused her son of rape.

Zhen asserted that on May 5, their family obtained the property deed and promised to add the woman's name to it. However, the woman claimed it was too late and accused them of not valuing her.