Jiang's domestic abuse allegations deserve much attention
Chinese actor Jiang Jinfu turned himself in to Tokyo police on Nov 28 after Japanese model Haruka Nakaura, whom he was dating, made allegations of domestic violence against him.
Nakaura had recently posted on her Instagram account photos of bruises that she alleged were from beatings by Jiang. A friend of hers posted Nakaura's medical certificate online, stating that she had bruises on her face, right leg, the back of her head and her chest, and that she would need more than a month to recover from the injuries.
In a Japanese television interview, Nakaura said that Jiang often physically assaulted her when he got angry.
In April, Jiang took a break from acting in Chinese TV series and films to pursue higher studies in Japan, where he met Nakaura.
Before Jiang gave himself up, he had expressed remorse and made a public apology to Nakaura on Sina Weibo, which attracted more than 266,000 comments.
The actor has 17.36 million followers on Weibo.
"No matter for what reason, I should have never raised my fist and I'm ashamed of what I have done. I will not defend myself and will shoulder my responsibility and accept punishment," Jiang wrote on Weibo.
Some of Jiang's celebrity friends offered their support to him, calling him "a nice person" and said they were waiting for "the truth to come out".
The incident stirred debate on Chinese social media, also because the allegations surfaced around Nov 25, the UN-designated international anti-domestic violence day.
"Jiang's case reveals that domestic violence is universal. It exists in different countries and involves people from different walks of life, including celebrities," says Li Mingshun, a law professor at China Women's University.
Due to Jiang's celebrity status, some netizens and celebrities are on the defensive about his actions. It shows their lack of general knowledge of the law and awareness of the topic, Li adds.
"Some (in China) confuse it with relationship conflict and have no idea that it is violating the human rights of family members," he says.
He says women are the disadvantaged group in a society dominated by male-centered culture. Women often become victims of domestic violence and are often reproached and even humiliated if they try to speak out. Many blame victims and defend abusers.
China's anti-domestic violence law took effect on March 1, 2016.
"Abusers should be punished according to the law," says Ding Juan, director of the Maple Women's Psychological Counseling Center, a Beijing-based NGO, which established a hotline in 2004 to provide help to women experiencing domestic violence.
"You cannot use your good deeds like being kind to your friends to negate abusing a girlfriend," Ding says of the Jiang incident.
While physical wounds may heal as time passes by, recovering from the emotional trauma is tougher for victims, she adds.
"Also, children who witness family violence likely suffer psychological damage."
Ding says a man could beat his wife without consequence in China's feudal society. But now the situation is different with regard to gender equality. She says the most effective way to change the deep-rooted thinking is to properly enforce the new law. It brings legal protection for victims of domestic violence and offers them personal-protection orders.
The law also offers NGOs legal support when they help those who are in need. She says it's important to keep proof because family violence can be a legal reason for divorce.
"When victims call our hotline for help, we don't ask why they have been abused — the unspoken implication is that they are 'at fault', so they suffer. We ask whether their personal safety is at risk," Ding says.
According to another Beijing-based NGO, Equality, 533 cases related in some manner to domestic violence leading to the deaths of at least 635 adults and children have been reported by media between March 1, 2016 and Oct 31, 2017.
It means at least one person died per day due to domestic violence, and the majority were female.
"Victims are able to safeguard their rights and interests due to the law. But the key is that how the public security agency and people's court give full play to their functions," Li says.
Some public security officers and judicial members have not realized the nature of domestic violence and take a "negative attitude" toward implementation of the anti-domestic violence law, Li adds.
He says the law should be more detailed about what kind of situations require a personal-protection order to be issued. There should also be detailed rules and regulations to guide public security officers on how to intervene in domestic violence.
Ding suggests that the law include marital rape.
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