Content Warning: This episode discusses sexual violence and drug-facilitated assault. Listener discretion is advised.

Zhenhao Zou appeared to be just another PhD student at University College London—until investigators exposed him as one of the most prolific sexual predators in British history. But beneath the surface, he was hiding a horrifying secret. Between 2019 and 2023, Zou preyed on women—primarily Chinese and East Asian—through social media and dating apps, luring them in under false pretenses. Behind the glow of his academic achievements and even post-plastic surgery, he was a deeply disturbed predator.

Zou’s obsession with ‘stop-action’ pornography—where unconscious women are assaulted—wasn’t just a sick fantasy. He made it a reality. When two women bravely came forward in late 2023, investigators uncovered a nightmare hidden in his luxury flat—date rape drugs, hidden cameras, and over 1,200 videos. This sickening discovery suggests that Zou may have had more than 50 victims, many of whom still don’t know what happened to them in his high-rise London flat.

So how did he get away with it for so long? And what finally led to his downfall? We’re breaking it all down in this episode—trust us, you won’t want to miss this one.

**Make sure to tune in on Friday for our interview with Marie McKenzie, a S.A.N.E (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) who walks us through the post-sexual assault process to help survivors find healing and empowerment.

Resources:

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Art for the podcast was created by Kelly Steen. Editing/Production for the podcast by Bltzwolff ([email protected]).

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References:

BBC News. (2025, March 5). Zhenhao Zou: PhD student jailed for filming attacks on women. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8rkj8k6my8o

Cox, C. (2025, March 6). A timeline of the crimes, investigation, and trial of UCL student rapist Zhenhao Zou. The Tab. https://thetab.com/2025/03/06/a-timeline-of-the-crimes-investigation-and-trial-of-ucl-student-rapist-zhenhao-zou

Firstpost. (2024, March 6). Explained: Who is Chinese PhD student Zhenhao Zou and why is he being called Britain’s worst rapist? Firstpost. https://www.firstpost.com/explainers/chinese-phd-student-zhenhao-zou-britain-worst-rapist-drugging-raping-women-13869169.html

Associated Press. (2025, March 10). Chinese student in UK found guilty of raping woman after spiking her drink. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/china-student-britain-rape-drugs-trial-guilty-7a24b237a77f6283c7ce99ac2b1f9aa6

Guardian News & Media. (2025, March 5). Zhenhao Zou: PhD student who filmed attacks on women jailed for 6 years. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/mar/05/zhenhao-zou-phd-student-who-filmed-attacks-on-women

Hughes, L. (2025, March 5). Chinese student in rape case involving 60 women found guilty. The Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/03/05/chinese-student-rape-case-60-women/

The Guardian. (2025, March 6). Serial rape case highlights barriers to justice for East Asian women in UK. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/mar/06/serial-rape-case-zou-barriers-to-justice-east-asian-women-uk