More than 20 women have come forward after police launched an international appeal for potential victims of one of the UK’s worst serial rapists, Zhenhao Zou. The 28-year-old Chinese PhD student was found guilty last month of drugging, raping, and filming 10 women, but detectives believe he may have attacked up to 60 more.
Metropolitan Police commander Kevin Southworth stated, "Given how prolific Zou seems to have been, there is every potential he could be one of the most prolific offenders that we’ve ever seen in this space." So far, 23 women have contacted authorities, indicating they may have been targeted by Zou, with investigations now underway to identify these victims and bring Zou to justice for the full extent of his crimes.
Mr. Southworth reported that victims have reached out from various parts of the globe, including locations in England and China. "At the moment, the primary places where we believe offending may have occurred appear to be both in England, here in London, and over in China," he noted. He emphasized that the potential for Zou's crimes could extend worldwide due to his extensive travels.
Zou used hidden or handheld cameras to record his attacks, keeping the footage and sometimes the belongings of his victims as souvenirs in a so-called "trophy box." The footage recovered included four attacks on three victims in London, where Zou studied for a master's and PhD in mechanical engineering at University College London from 2019 to 2023. Two of the women were identified and provided testimony during his trial, while another victim, who was raped twice, has yet to be identified.
The alarming nature of Zou's offenses was first uncovered in November 2023 when one victim, a Chinese national, reported to police that he had dragged her into a bedroom during a party at his flat, forced her to drink vodka spiked with drugs, and raped her as she screamed. Another victim, who was with Zou and friends in Chinatown in 2021, recalled her last memory before being raped was feeling sick in the street.
In a related initiative, Metro launched a year-long campaign titled "This Is Not Right" on November 25, 2024, to address the growing epidemic of violence against women. This campaign aims to shed light on the scale of this national emergency and encourages victims to come forward.
Following the appeal, police have checked approximately 1,270 videos and over 9 million messages as they work to identify additional victims. Mr. Southworth expressed gratitude towards the women who have bravely come forward, stating, "We have now, thankfully, had 23 victim survivors come forward through the appeal that we’ve conducted, some of whom may be identical with some of the females that we saw in those videos, some of whom may even turn out to be from the original indicted cases."
As the investigation continues, the team of detectives is expected to increase in size and resources to address the scale of Zou's crimes. Mr. Southworth added, "Ultimately, now it’s the investigation team’s job to professionally pick our way through those individual pieces of evidence, those individual victims’ stories, to see if we can identify who may have been a victim, when and where, so then we can bring Zou to justice for the full extent of his crimes."
Zou lived in student accommodations in Woburn Place, near Russell Square in central London, and later in a flat in the Uncle building in Churchyard Row, Elephant and Castle. He had also attended Queen’s University Belfast, where he studied mechanical engineering from 2017 until 2019.
His convictions include 11 counts of rape, three counts of voyeurism, ten counts of possession of an extreme pornographic image, one count of false imprisonment, and three counts of committing an offense with intent to commit a sexual offense related to the drug butanediol. He will be sentenced on June 19, 2025.
In light of the recent developments, police are urging anyone who believes they may have been a victim of Zou to contact them via email at [email protected] or through the major incident public portal on the Metropolitan Police's website. The appeal aims to ensure that all reports are fully investigated with the utmost sensitivity and care.
Commander Southworth emphasized the importance of support for victims, stating, "Our priority remains to offer them the best possible support throughout this immensely difficult time." He reassured potential victims that their reports would be handled with compassion and seriousness.
As the investigation unfolds, the Metropolitan Police continue to seek additional victims and witnesses to help in their pursuit of justice. The scale of Zou's alleged crimes has raised concerns about the safety of women, particularly those from vulnerable backgrounds or international students who may feel hesitant to report such incidents.
In the wake of Zou's conviction, the police hope that further charges may be brought against him, given the number of women who have already come forward. The potential for more trials looms as officers work diligently to ensure that all victims receive the justice they deserve.
