Report taken from the South China Morning Post
18 June 2003
The mainland's largest centre for victims of domestic violence has opened in Jiangsu province at a time when social workers are pointing to a surge in the number of cases reported nationwide.
The chairwoman of the Xuzhou Women's Federation said the centre was set up because of the growing number of cases being brought to the group's attention.
"We see an increasingly worrying trend," said the chairwoman, who gave her surname as Liu. "We deal with about 600 cases of domestic violence a year, about 37 per cent of which are husbands beating their wives." The remainder involves violence among other family members.
The centre will cost more than four million yuan (HK$3.76 million) and is funded by the women's federation and the local civil affairs bureau. The live-in centre will offer basic medical and counseling services.
Liu Meng from the Chinese Female College in Beijing said her studies around the country showed more than 34 per cent of respondents acknowledged there was violence in their homes.
She said that the surge in reported cases did not necessarily indicate an increase in the number of violent incidents, but was more likely reflect women's growing intolerance of domestic violence.
"Women have a higher awareness of their rights and they do not accept it if their husbands are aggressive," Professor Liu aid. "Previously, many men thought they were legally entitled to beat their wives."
There is currently no specific law covering domestic violence but the central government has requested that a panel of experts prepare a draft for submission to the National People's Congress.
18 June 2003
The mainland's largest centre for victims of domestic violence has opened in Jiangsu province at a time when social workers are pointing to a surge in the number of cases reported nationwide.
The chairwoman of the Xuzhou Women's Federation said the centre was set up because of the growing number of cases being brought to the group's attention.
"We see an increasingly worrying trend," said the chairwoman, who gave her surname as Liu. "We deal with about 600 cases of domestic violence a year, about 37 per cent of which are husbands beating their wives." The remainder involves violence among other family members.
The centre will cost more than four million yuan (HK$3.76 million) and is funded by the women's federation and the local civil affairs bureau. The live-in centre will offer basic medical and counseling services.
Liu Meng from the Chinese Female College in Beijing said her studies around the country showed more than 34 per cent of respondents acknowledged there was violence in their homes.
She said that the surge in reported cases did not necessarily indicate an increase in the number of violent incidents, but was more likely reflect women's growing intolerance of domestic violence.
"Women have a higher awareness of their rights and they do not accept it if their husbands are aggressive," Professor Liu aid. "Previously, many men thought they were legally entitled to beat their wives."
There is currently no specific law covering domestic violence but the central government has requested that a panel of experts prepare a draft for submission to the National People's Congress.