A series of high-profile domestic abuse cases in China has sparked outrage, and exposed Beijing’s seemingly contradictory attitude toward violence against women.
The New York Times reported that several women repeatedly reached out to police, including one who later died after being beaten by her husband.
Authorities have been accused of treating domestic violence “as a private family matter,” the Times reported, even after leader Xi Jinping called for a zero-tolerance approach.
Xi’s words contrast with his emphasis on traditional gender roles, which has created a reluctance among officials to break families apart. While the law in theory protects women, it clashes with Beijing’s attempts to raise the birth rate, and police “emphasize staying in the marriage,” one academic said.