Job Discussion Forums

[rachelj]

Hi, my name is Rachel and I just arrived not-so-long ago to teach here in China. However, I'm compelled by my bad experiences so far (one of them being almost raped by my employer), that I am leaving China and going back home.

My story started when I took a job offer from a recruiter named Sophia Cheng from Top Education recruiting agency. I was promised to be placed at a mid-level university with an agreed salary of 7000RMB with a free apartment.
However, once I got here, my director(Mr. Xu) had me sign another contract that was all in Chinese. I asked for an English translation and he said that it would be a few days- I never received it. However, based on my experiences working in South Korea, I said that if I didn't have an English copy, I won't work and he retorted that if I don't work I won't get my work and resident permit- so I signed it. Then I started noticing that my paid was only 4500Rmb (far below what was promised) and I took it up with Mr. Xu. He then showed me the Chinese contract and had one of his assistants translate it for me. In it, it stipulated that I 'agreed' to a paycut of about 2500RMB and that I agreed to a increase of 2 hours per day of work! I stormed out of his office and got my original copy of my contract and demanded that he abide by this one. He said that since I signed the 'new' copy (under threat of not getting my work and resident permit), the old copy was null and void.
Well, as soon as I finished work I called my recruiter, Ms. Cheng, and told her what happened and asked her to help resolve this mess. She stated that her job was to get me into the country and into the school and what happens after that was between me and the school. But I refreshed her memory when I asked if I had a problem with the school would she help resolve it and she said "absolutely"- that was a mistake to trust her......
This began the process of me negotiating another 1200RMB to my contract with the promise that I would be quiet about the matter and I would leave at the end of the semester.
Well, the end of the semester came and we all had a huge staff party, part of which was held as a farewell party for me. Anyway, Mr. Xu called me into his office to congradulate me on a job well done. But as soon as I go into the office, he locks the door and proceeds to put his hands all over me. I try to scream, but he put his hand over my mouth. I bite it and run out of the school. I was staying at a hotel so I don't go back to my room where he would find me. The next day, several teachers and a staff member find me and ask to talk to me. They wanted me not to say anything to anyone about what Mr. Xu did for fear that it would hurt the university's reputation, in which I responded that they should go f*** themselves. Then I get a call from my so-called recruiter, Ms. Cheng, telling me that she is aware of the situation. I ask her what she is going to do about it and she said that she talked to Mr. Xu and he agreed that he would pay the remainder of my salary (including a "bonus") in exchange for me to keep quiet about what happened. I asked her what would happen if I don't and she said that it would be my word against his and that the PSB might take his side. I felt all this was bull and I just said I want my money and I want to go home. She said that since I didn't finish all of my contract, I was not entitled to my flight ticket home, so I had to call my parents to buy me a ticket out of this nightmare. We got into a shouting match and she said that everyone involved- the school, the director and herself, would lose face if this got out. But what about me? What about what I had to endure? Does anyone care about my safety and well-being? obviously not!
Please, don't get me wrong, the students were nice and the people I came in contact with showed nothing but kindness, but it was all this stuff that happened at the school and the ambivalence I was shown my the recruiter who promised to help really left a sour feeling in me about working in China.

I just want to warn you, please don't trust this recruiter--- who is only worried about her commission more than what happens to the teachers she place and the schools she deals with......avoid Top Education like the plague!!!!

[samhouston]

[Mister Al]

[The Ever-changing Cleric]

[evaforsure]

[rachelj]

I just left China and I am still freaking out-- this is the first time this has ever happen to me
The whole party saw me run out, so obviously they knew something was up, the department I worked in was small and I was the only FT they had on staff

I am blaming the recruiter most of all because after all the problems I had and despite her assurances that if I got in a jam, she would help me work it out, she didn't--like the person above said, the recruiter should have helped, but she didn't and look at what happened!!!...all so they could save face, that sounds like a load of bull!

Look- I am not putting down China, if thats what you all afraid of.
I just feel betrayed by the school and most of all, the recruiter

[Ariadne]

However bad the recruiter was, it seems to me that the guy who tried to cut your pay and then tried to rape you should bear the largest share of guilt in the whole sorry mess. Why do you think the recruiter should be held more responsible? Is it because you trusted the recruiter and she left you in the lurch?

There is a lot for newbies to learn from your situation. Thanks for sharing it with us.

I'm so sorry you had to deal with such an ugly and terrifying event.

.

.

[evaforsure]

[Robin53]

This is a disgraceful story Rachel. If you were Chinese and posted it onto a blog, it would go to the newspapers, and the recruiter and the teacher would both loose their jobs. You would be compensated with a lot more than the sums you mentioned.

About the contract - that counts as a dispute which could not be resolved by you or the school, therefore you had the right to go to the city Foreign Affairs Department of the Education Bureau to ask them to mediate.

About the sexual harrassment - you have the right to go to the police about it whether or not you think you have accepted money to keep quiet.

I think its a mistake by FTs' to think they are not allowed to seek justice, or feel too afraid to. With both things that happened to you, you need a Chinese friend to help you contact responsible people in the agencies mentioned above to act on your behalf.

Another mistake FTs make is to keep too close to themselves and not try to become a part of the Chinese community where, over time, good friends can be made who will help out in situations such as Rachel described.

If you are already at home Rachel there is nothing from stopping you from going to your local newspaper with this story. Its a disgrace that the recruiter, and the Chinese teacher can get away with such behaviour. They got off the hook very easily with you, and they will do it again.

[JGC458]

Rachel, that's a terrible thing that should never have happened. I hope that now you're safe at home you can begin to move on.

Some posters say you should have reported the incident to the PSB, but I'm not so sure it would have helped you - mainly because it would be the word of a foreign female teacher against the word of her employer, a Chinese man. And sadly, you stand to lose if Mr Xu/the school have guanxi with the local police and the other school staff felt their jobs were on the line if they spoke out. After all, and I don't mean to diminish the shock and anguish you rightfully felt, but it seems that by defending yourself you stopped what you were sure was going to happen. And please don't get me wrong, you did what you needed to do, but had you informed the police, Mr Xu could have said that he had done nothing, the onus of proof would have been on you. With no actual rape (thank God!) so no physical evidence, and no torn clothing, and no bruises and no witnesses, and what's worse with you having bitten Mr Xu, he could have claimed that you attacked him! At the very least the school (even the police) might say that "nothing" happened and that Mr Xu maybe got a little heavy-handed and that you misinterpreted what was happening but that he meant no harm so it's best if the whole issue were dropped [please understand, I'm not saying that, I'm saying the school/police might have said that].

Of course you could report the assault to the PSB or the newspapers/internet sites, but with no evidence and if no-one backs up your story, then again it's your word against his and you might even be accused of libel (but I'm no lawyer, so I don't really know).

As things stand, perhaps the best thing to do is try to learn what you can from the situation, put the experience behind you, and try to get on with your life. I hope you can.

[evaforsure]

do u have a link so we can be sure as to the agency....

[Robin53]

JGC458 - although it is nice of you to give Rachel some sympathy, I think you gave her the wrong advice. I just don't believe the justifications you gave for not taking it further. I hear this sort of thing from FTs a lot, but in my experience it is not true. Both situations were good reasons to take it further, and with a good Chinese friend on her side, I think Rachel's situation would have been handled properly by the Chinese authorities. Chinese people would do something about a situation like this, and it is wrong to think that FTs should just put up with bad or illegal behaviour and let time heal the wounds. Why would anyone do that?

[JGC458]

[evaforsure]

[eddy-cool]

I also noted the fact that your colleagues 'knew' what had happened between Mr Xu and you even though no one could possibly have 'leaked' such news.

Either Mr Xu is a veteran groper and thus has a certain 'reputation', or your colleagues were part of the scheme - unlikely.

Yes, sorry to read that such things do happen even in China - they happen rarely to female laowais. But even asingle time is one time too many.

Since you signed two separate contracts, it would be important to know who drew up the first contract that stipulated a salary of 7'000 yuan in English only. Mr Xu's school?

If so, then you could most likely take them to court for misleading you. Even an English-language contract must be signed and stamped. You can have it retranslated into Chinese.

My guess, however, is that you signed a pro forma agreement for 7'000 yuan that bears no stamp. Or it was prepared by the agent.

Who sponsored your visa or RP?

That would shine badly-needed light on the responsibility of the main culprit here!