A staff at the National University of Singapore's (NUS) East Asia Institute (EAI) has accused its former director of sexual harassment in her first month of work, according to a series of tweets posted in early August.

Alleged perpetrator investigated by police and issued a warning

In her tweets, the alleged victim, who referred to herself as Charlotte, said she reported Zheng Yongnian to the police after she was sexually harassed by him in 2018.

Zheng, who worked as Research Professor at EAI after stepping down as director in 2019, was investigated by the police and given "a warning for offence of Outrage of Modesty", Charlotte claimed.

Given a "soft warning" by NUS and EAI

However, despite the case being concluded, Charlotte claimed she was given a "soft warning" by NUS and EAI management.

She also alleged that the EAI management even admonished her, telling her to "stay away from female colleagues who were also harassed".

In addition, she claimed that the bullying in her workplace continued, and that the EAI management had covered up Zheng's acts of sexual misconduct in the institution over the past decade.

Zheng had been Director of EAI since the year 2008.

"Ironically", she said, the "harasser is also institute management".

Questioned by university after she told them about the police report made

Going into further details, Charlotte said that after she told the university about the police report she made, even though she was not obliged to do so, university staff responded by questioning her.

Besides asking her to recount "the scene of harassment", staff had also questioned her on her intention while holding "preconception" of theirs, she claimed.

Furthermore, she said she was forced to explain the alleged perpetrator's claims about her:

"I was even asked to explain rumors fabricated by the accused person about me. That was a serious humiliation to me.

Though EAI kept covering up the harasser, I still expected the university to address the issue seriously. The reality, however, seemed to prove me wrong."

Zheng no longer working at EAI

An EAI spokesperson told Mothership that it is aware of Charlotte's allegations against the institution and its staff, and confirmed that a police investigation regarding the allegations has been completed.

EAI has also been "providing support and assistance" to its staff who may be affected by this matter, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added Zheng had already stepped down from his position in the EAI, and is currently on leave until his contract expires in September.

Here is EAI's statement in full:

"We have taken note of the postings on social media of wide-ranging allegations with regard to the East Asian Institute and some of its current and former staff members.

Professor Zheng Yongnian has resigned from the East Asian Institute and NUS, and he has been granted leave until the expiry of his contract later this month.

We understand that a police investigation related to some of the allegations has been completed and the University is following up with its internal investigations into some of the matters mentioned in the posts.

The Institute and the University take allegations of staff misconduct very seriously. The Institute has been providing support and assistance to staff who may be affected by this matter, and will continue to do so."

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Top image via @Chary19513/Twitter