‘Drunk girl can give chance to a man’: A poster outside Chinese restaurant sparks debate

A BBQ restaurant in China has sparked controversy after it exhibited a banner with a troubling message. A photograph from inside a restaurant in north-western China's Shaanxi province displays a picture of a woman in revealing clothes. Next to the figure, the tagline reads, "Get yourself drunk to give him a chance."

According to the South China Morning Post, a woman who works at the restaurant informed the Chinese online media outlet Gongfu Caijing that the phrase was only a "joke".She added that the banner had been up for years and had never received any criticism. “It depends on how you think about it. You don’t have to take it seriously,” she said.

The ad and the woman's response have sparked a debate. Some individuals on Chinese social media criticised the restaurant's motto for "not just being a bad influence, but instigating people to commit crimes," according to the SCMP.

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According to Chinese criminal law, having sexual relations with drunk women without their consent constitutes rape, and the perpetrator can face imprisonment from three to 10 years.

Chinese media outlet Qihuan Video reported on May 30 that the local food agency had intervened in the matter. The restaurant removed the advertisement.

This is hardly the first instance of offensive promotional material being shared in China. Last month, Five Doctors, a women's wellness tonic firm, attempted to advertise its products by portraying hysterical women shrieking at potential consumers. The clip was criticised for including stereotypes of women being overly concerned about their ages.

"I will be a year older soon, so I'll drink this!" and "You all forced me to drink this!" were some of the phrases chanted by the women in the Five Doctors campaign.

According to a report in the Global Times, Five Doctors’ product has not been registered as a health food. This means that the company could be charged for false advertising. If the advert is found to be discriminating against women or insulting them, the companies involved could be fined as much as 1 million yuan ($143,713), as per a law firm.