China fights domestic violence.

Or at least tries to. The UN Gender Theme Group in commemorating the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women demanded an end to violence against women and some practical solutions for it.

The event kicked off a 16-day international campaign against gender violence, which includes domestic violence, sexual abuse and rape.
“Fundamentally, it is time for us to make the commitment publicly and personally,” Malik said.
About 34.7 per cent of families suffer from domestic violence, according to a survey conducted by the Domestic Violence Network in nine cities of three provinces between 2000 to 2001, the latest figures available.
About 80 to 90 per cent of these victims are female, said Chen Mingxia, chair of the board of the network.
The picture is gloomier in rural China, where more than 170,000 women die of suicide every year.
Of these suicide cases, 66 per cent were a result of domestic violence, said Xie Lihua, director of the cultural development centre for rural women.
More than one third of rural women suffer from physical violence every few months, Xie said. Her figures were based on 10 years of investigation in rural areas of China.

Some not so happy stats. Also Saturday was International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Hope you all celebrated, because I was so distracted by writing my thesis, I shamefully forgot about it. But I guess we should really be fighting violence against women and celebrating its elimination everyday.
via China Daily.

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