Man sentenced for sexually harassing girl online

A man who made sexual threats online against a 12-year-old girl has been sentenced to one year and nine months for harassement, according to prosecutors in Jiading District.

The man was identified as a 25-year-old migrant worker surnamed Liu who arrived in Shanghai  in 2016. He is said to have a wife and three-year-old daughter in his hometown.

According to prosecutors, Liu impersonated a 13-year-old boy on instant messaging app QQ, where he made contact with his victim, identified by the pseudonym Xiao Ling. While chatting, Xiao shared her photo with Liu as well as her home and school addresses.

Liu then demanded that the girl pose for indecent photos and grope herself during an online chatting session, according to court statements. When she refused, Liu threatened to Photoshop her face onto nude photos and then send them to her family and school.

“I feared that my parents and relatives would see the photos. I was so scared. I had no choice but to listen to him to do something wrong and indecent,” Xiao Ling was quoted as saying in court records.

“I especially picked young girls under the age of 14 because they are naive and can easily be cheated,” Liu said.

The case came to light following a tip-off to Jiading police, according to court records. Liu was arrested in June 2017.

Prosecutors say online sexual harassment has become a serious problem.