Trial of woman for killing abusive husband, severing his genitals, shines light on domestic violence in China
Zhang Ru, a victim of years of abuse, faces manslaughter charges for bludgeoning and stabbing her husband to death. But even her father-in-law has forgiven her
PUBLISHED : Sunday, 20 March, 2016, 2:54am
UPDATED : Sunday, 20 March, 2016, 4:52pm
Staff Reporter
A woman stood trial in China’s southwestern Yunnan province on Friday accused of killing her abusive husband, in a case that has shone a light on domestic violence in China, Xinhua reported yesterday.
The woman, Zhang Ru, 42, admitted to killing her husband while he was asleep in April, 2015. She also cut her husband’s genitals, a move she claimed was to vent her anger. She surrendered to police afterwards.
Zhang was charged with manslaughter, but her case has won widespread sympathy from the public. Her father-in-law even told judge that he has forgiven her.
“My granddauther lost her dad, she can’t lose her mum too,” father-in-law as said, according to the Yunnan Information Daily.
Zhang claimed she had been beaten by her husband for years, even during her pregnancy. Her lawyer pled for leniency, saying the killing was “on impulse and in protest against violence”.
Outcry over Sichuan woman’s death sentence for killing abusive husband
Zhang admitted to hitting her drunken, sleeping husband in the face with a hammer and a spanner before stabbing him more than 40 times in the chest and belly with a knife.
“I just wanted revenge for all the violence I suffered over the years. I felt I could no longer live unless he died,” she said.
The couple’s 10-year-old daughter is likely to be sent to an orphanage if no family members step in to take her. A ruling is expected at a later date.
Friday’s hearing, at the Intermediate People’s Court in Chuxiong Prefecture, drew a large audience including judges and procurators from the Supreme People’s Court (SPC) and local courts, social workers from women’s federations, as well as law students.
Chen Min, a researcher with the China Institute of Applied Law, appeared in court as an expert witness for the defendant.
Chen is familiar with psychology, law and social and family issues, in particular domestic violence.
