Sexual Violence Against Women and Children in Chinese Societies

Abstract

This article provides a comprehensive overview of the reported patterns of sexual violence against women and children in China. It reviews the prevalence of and risk factors for various types of sexual violence and discusses community knowledge and perceptions of these violent acts. It also critically examines three major problems of sexual violence research in China. First, the diversity of findings and study methods reported by surveys and criminal reports reflects the problems in obtaining accurate figures on the scope of the problem. Second, precautions must be taken in reading studies on Chinese culture-specific risk factors for domestic violence. Third, the study of culture-specific factors should not focus solely on cultural factors in a vacuum but rather, should examine traditional culture in the context of modern societies and consensus international standards of human rights. Recommendations for future research are also discussed.

The burden of child maltreatment in China: a systematic review

“…To identify additional relevant studies, we contacted 18 researchers and organizations involved in child protection in China and checked the reference lists of key narrative reviews on child maltreatment in or around China. 6 , 13 , 14 , 16 , 17…”

“… 6 There have been no national assessments of child maltreatment and only a few comprehensive provincial studies. However, the results of early descriptive surveys of child sexual 7 – 10 and physical abuse 11 and some more recent relevant data 12 , 13 have been included in global and regional reviews. 2 , 3 , 14 , 15 There has also been one systematic review that focused solely on the prevalence of child sexual abuse in China.…”

What do we know about child abuse and neglect patterns of co-occurrence? A systematic review of profiling studies and recommendations for future research

“…Indeed, earlier research among Chinese societies indicated that parents' reports are unlikely to reveal the true prevalence of child sexual abuse (Chan, 2005(Chan, , 2008. Lin et al's (2016) focus, hence, was on physical abuse, emotional abuse, and emotional neglect.…”

Comparison of Parent and Child Reports on Child Maltreatment in a Representative Household Sample in Hong Kong

“…Asian societies, including Chinese populations, are believed to have cultures and traditions that can be very different to those of Western populations. These specific cultural backgrounds, such as patriarchal authority and the principle of filial piety and unquestioning obedience for children in China, may lead to different patterns of prevalence or reporting of child maltreatment (Chan 2009b). Indeed, past findings have often revealed a higher tolerance for parental physical aggression as disciplinary practices among Chinese populations (Hong and Hong 1991; Wong et al 2009).…”