Two high-profile murders of women have sparked a backlash on chinese social media against the promotion of marriage by the Government, and many people say they are receiving too little protection from domestic violence.
In the rural province of Henana 24-year-old woman was stabbed to death by her husband during a “family dispute” last week, after which he was arrested, authorities said Monday.
In the semi-autonomous city of Hong Kong The dismembered remains of Abby Choi, a 28-year-old model and socialite, were found last week, leading to the arrest of her ex-husband and two of his relatives on suspicion of murder.
The murders of these women from opposite ends of the social spectrum rocked social media, with a growing number of people questioning the government’s calls for marriage and more children to counter the demographic crisis in rapidly aging China.
“If you don’t get married, your boyfriend hits you. If you are married, your husband beats you. If you get divorced, your ex-husband beats you. What has this world become?” wrote a citizen on the Weibo platform. “Not getting married and not having children is the safest thing to do”another person said.
A Weibo hashtag about the death of the woman stabbed eight times by her husband had more than 200 million views on Tuesday alone. The media said the Henan victim, surnamed Yang, had two young children.
Videos circulated on social media Monday showing dozens of angry residents of the victim’s hometown clashing with police, but the news agency Reuters could not verify where the footage was filmed.
Outrage and debate
Traditional notions of marriage and family obligations remain strong in China, but many young people are beginning to question them, citing the inability to afford childcare services, inadequate support for working mothers, and individualistic aspirations.
The situation is partly reflected in the increase in divorces.
Some posters on social media highlighted the difficulty leaving abusive marriages following the introduction in 2021 of a mandatory 30-day “cooling-off period” for couples wishing to divorce.
Many also criticized the “prioritization of men over women,” a conservative mindset common in parts of rural China, which has led to a stark gender imbalance in China’s population due to sex-selective abortions for decades. one-child policy.
The country has some 722 million men versus 690 million women, leaving millions of singles.
Chinese population descended last year for the first time in six decades.
The incidents come at a delicate time for the government, which this weekend will begin its annual legislative sessions, in which a new leadership team will be announced under the presidency of Xi Jinping.
China passed a new law in October to protect women against gender discrimination and sexual harassment, but also urges women to “respect family values.”
(By Laurie Chen – Reuters)
Keep reading:
US Special Envoy Against Disinformation Warns China Spends Billions On Pro-Russian Propaganda
The European Parliament also banned TikTok on its work devices
After the real estate collapse in 2022, several Chinese cities are on the brink of a debt crisis
Source-www.infobae.com