My story today: Last year, a Chinese woman was savagely beaten by her husband. To escape, she jumped from the second floor of a building, leaving her temporarily paralyzed. She filed for divorce but the court said no. 1/7 nytimes.com/2020/09/16/wor…
Domestic violence is usually considered a private matter in China and it was only in recent yrs that it was widely discussed. Many women are embarrassed to talk about it but the difference this time was this woman, Liu Zengyan, had video captured on security camera footage. 2/7
The court had rejected her lawsuit to divorce her husband on the grounds that she should seek mediation first and because her husband had not agreed to the divorce. After that, Ms. Liu released the video, which she had previously given the courts and the police. 3/7
The scenes were harrowing. I reviewed it many times, feeling sick to my stomach. Thousands of Chinese internet users felt the same way. A hashtag about her case was viewed more than a billion times Weibo. Chinese reporters flocked to interview her. 4/7
Ms. Liu's video came a few mths after a change in China's civil code, which wld impose a 30-day cooling off period on couples seeking to divorce. It was 1 of the most debated topics at this yr's parliament. Many argue the new law will keep people trapped in abusive marriages. 5/7
After that, a judge called Ms. Liu to say there was no need for mediation and the court would issue a verdict soon. On July 28, three weeks after she released the video, she was granted the divorce. I spoke to her on that day and she was very happy. 6/7
Ms. Liu told me of how other young women who are being beaten by their partners have written to her asking for advice. She has this to say to them: Dare to stand up. Know that this is domestic violence. Treat it seriously. 7/7
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