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More channels to protect women's rights, interests

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-03-09 10:10

BEIJING -- Yu Xiuli, a victim of domestic violence, can turn to police for help if her husband continues to beat her thanks to a regulation which came into effect on Sunday.

The 40-year-old woman in eastern Shandong Province has been bearing the cursing and beating of her husband for years, but has never thought of asking police for help.

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"I believed it was not the business of police to stop domestic violence so I has never thought of alerting police," said Yu.

But from Sunday women like Yu could alert police if they fall victim to domestic violence according to a regulation of the province that came into effect Sunday.

Many provinces in China have set up police centers to handle household violence after a national regulation that was issued in September last year requiring police to be dispatched whenever they receive a 110 emergency call regarding household violence.

According to the All-China Women's Federation, domestic violence poses a severe threat to women's rights in China with the authorities receiving about 50,000 complaints annually.

In fact, women in China have had more channels to protect their rights and interests.

On Saturday, a hot line - 12338 for protection of women's rights was opened in eastern Zhejiang Province. The hot line was set up to provide legal help for women, including migrant workers, in Zhejiang.

The Zhejiang provincial women's federation said the province has had 280,000 volunteers and 25,000 community or village centers for women rights protection.

The issuing of a regulation to prevent and curb household violence has been put on the agenda of the provincial legislature this year, it said.

In Beijing, the Chaoyang District People's Court opened a hot line for protection of rights and interests of women and children on Wednesday. The line was the first among the capital's court system.

The hot line will offer legal aid to women and children.

"The whole society has been attaching increasing attention to the protection of women's rights in marriage, employment and family life in recent years," said Shi Yan, a judge of the court.

The court set up a collegial panel specially for women and children in December 2007. Similar panels have also been set up in courts of other provinces across the country to better protect women's rights.