2016年CRI China's First Anti-domestic Violence Law Takes Effect

 

Figures from China Law Society show about one-third of Chinese families have dealt with some form of domestic violence. 

More than 90-percent of the reported cases involve the abuse of women, children and the elderly. 

One-in-four Chinese women have suffered violence in their marriage. 

Traditionally considered an embarrassing private matter in China, domestic violence is still an issue which remains¹ taboo² to talk about. 

Li Mingshun with China's Marriage Law Society says given the situation, a specialized³ anti-domestic violence law is urgently needed. 

"There had been laws on family abuse in China, but none of them were specialized. References to the issue were included in several different laws and regulations. However, none were put into a unified⁴ system, making most of them hard to enforce." 

The new law defines domestic violence as both physical and psychological harm inflicted⁵ between family members, including beatings, injuries, restraint or forcible limits on physical liberties, as well as recurring⁶ verbal threats and abuse. 

Victims and those under immediate⁷ danger from domestic violence can file for a personal protection order. 

The courts have to decide within 72 hours whether to issue the injunction. 

If authorities decide the case is urgent, the courts are obliged to render a decision within a day. 

Chen Jialin with the National People's Congress Legal Affairs Committee says the new law is much more practical than previous attempts at stemming domestic violence.

"The law contains some practical measures against domestic violence. Police are required to issue restraining orders in severe cases, while victims can also apply for protection from the local courts. Measures like these are expected to prevent violence from taking place or getting worse. This is why this law as made."

Chen Jialin says the new law also has a focus on protecting minors⁸. 

"Since researchers have proved that domestic violence is a learned trait within a family, the law has multiple measures, such as a compulsory⁹ reporting system, to reduce the impact of family violence on children. Law enforcers can decide not to intervene if the domestic dispute is strictly¹⁰ between adults. But if there is abuse of a child, police have a legal duty to report the case after they discover it." 

Under the new law, police, women's federations¹¹ and social service organizations, as well as close relatives, are able to apply for orders for those with no or limited capacity to help themselves, such as young children or the elderly.

Once the order is granted, the courts can order the abuser to move out of the home, or adopt various other measures to protect the safety of the victim. 

The orders can last a maximum of six months and can be revoked¹² or extended based on the situation. 

Anyone who violates the protection order can face fines of 1-thousand yuan, as well as 15 days detention¹³. 

They can also face criminal charges in more serious offences. 

For CRI, this is Li Jianhua.

1 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

2 taboo   

n.禁忌，禁止接近，禁止使用；adj.禁忌的；v.禁忌，禁制，禁止

参考例句：

• The rude words are taboo in ordinary conversation.这些粗野的字眼在日常谈话中是禁忌的。
• Is there a taboo against sex before marriage in your society?在你们的社会里，婚前的性行为犯禁吗？

3 specialized   

adj.专门的，专业化的

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations.联合国有许多专门机构。
• These tools are very specialized.这些是专用工具。

4 unified   

(unify 的过去式和过去分词)； 统一的； 统一标准的； 一元化的

参考例句：

• The teacher unified the answer of her pupil with hers. 老师核对了学生的答案。
• The First Emperor of Qin unified China in 221 B.C. 秦始皇于公元前221年统一中国。

5 inflicted   

把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• They inflicted a humiliating defeat on the home team. 他们使主队吃了一场很没面子的败仗。
• Zoya heroically bore the torture that the Fascists inflicted upon her. 卓娅英勇地承受法西斯匪徒加在她身上的酷刑。

6 recurring   

adj.往复的，再次发生的

参考例句：

• This kind of problem is recurring often. 这类问题经常发生。
• For our own country, it has been a time for recurring trial. 就我们国家而言，它经过了一个反复考验的时期。

7 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

8 minors   

n.未成年人( minor的名词复数 )；副修科目；小公司；[逻辑学]小前提v.[主美国英语]副修，选修，兼修( minor的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The law forbids shops to sell alcohol to minors. 法律禁止商店向未成年者出售含酒精的饮料。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had three minors this semester. 这学期他有三门副修科目。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 compulsory   

n.强制的，必修的；规定的，义务的

参考例句：

• Is English a compulsory subject?英语是必修课吗？
• Compulsory schooling ends at sixteen.义务教育至16岁为止。

10 strictly   

adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地

参考例句：

• His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。
• The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。

11 federations   

n.联邦( federation的名词复数 )；同盟；联盟；联合会

参考例句：

• These problems are women's special problems and special work of women's federations. 这样的问题，就是妇女的特殊问题，就是妇联的特殊工作。 来自互联网
• The Bridge Federate is a feasible solution to achieve multi-federations interconnection. 基于桥接成员实现多联邦互连是目前较为通用和可行的方法。 来自互联网

12 revoked   

adj.[法]取消的v.撤销，取消，废除( revoke的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• It may be revoked if the check is later dishonoured. 以后如支票被拒绝支付，结算可以撤销。 来自辞典例句
• A will is revoked expressly. 遗嘱可以通过明示推翻。 来自辞典例句

13 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。