Women's studies experts have urged the society to pay more
attention to mothers, as Mother's Day was celebrated in a number of
countries yesterday.
Domestic violence remains the most serious issue facing women and
children in modern society, according to Zhai Yan, assistant to the
director of the Beijing-based Women's Psychological Counseling
Centre.
"Domestic violence and social stability are reciprocal," said Zhai.
"If intervention for domestic violence is given in time and is well
controlled, social stability can be upgraded."
Women and children are considered the most vulnerable groups in
society. Many women have called the Maple Women's Hotline and
appealed to people from all walks of life to create a peaceful
social environment.
When domestic brutality is not stopped, there will be immense
negative effects on children growing up in such families, marriages
can easily collapse and deaths may occur. These children have a
much higher tendency to use violence themselves when they become
adults, according to a professor from the East China University of
Politics and Law.
After Beijing's hosting of the World Women's Congress in 1995,
domestic violence became a hot topic and an issue for lawmakers.
Since then, organizations, centers, workshops and hotlines in
cities, provinces and municipalities have been founded to increase
public awareness and to prevent and stop domestic violence.
Another problem relevant revealed through the hotline is that
abused women tend to become abusers to their children, said Zhai.
Statistics show women beat children more often than men do in
Chinese families where there is domestic violence.
In
recent years, the increased amount and degree of domestic violence
has largely been due to mental health problems and poor living
conditions during China's economic reform and opening-up drive,
according to the Women's Studies Institute of China affiliated with
the All-China
Women's Federation.
"To fight domestic violence is a systemic social program that
involves attention and watchfulness from the legislation field,
medical services and community intervention," said Wang Simei,
deputy director of the institute.
(China
Daily May 13, 2002)