A woman has been awarded HK$367,000 in civil damages after a District Court assessment on 23 October 2026. The award was in a personal-injury claim against a man who had been acquitted of rape and indecent assault after a separate criminal trial in 2021.
The woman, then 18 and studying law, said she met the man through a lesbian dating app in 2019 and believed he was a woman. She said he did not correct her when she addressed him as an older sister. After they met in a hotel room in February 2020, she argued in her civil claim that she would not have agreed to sex had she known he was male.
She filed the damages claim in 2023. According to HK01, the man lodged a document in January 2024 saying he intended to defend it, but did not file a defence. The court ruled him liable in September 2024, with the damages amount still to be decided. He did not attend the civil hearings, and the court assessed damages in his absence.
The woman described nightmares, avoiding unfamiliar men and being highly alert in public. She said the aftermath affected her studies and internship, and that sexual-offence cases could leave her distressed and unable to concentrate. The court accepted her evidence as credible and reliable, and found that the man’s conduct was insulting and harmed her dignity.
The award comprises HK$250,000 for pain, suffering and loss of amenities, HK$80,000 in aggravated damages and HK$37,000 for medical, transport and future medical expenses. Costs were dealt with separately.
She now works as a lawyer in the UK. She said her condition had become more stable and she could manage her work.