Calls in China for mandatory relationship courses after wave of domestic violence targeting young women
Tue, 9 March 2021, 2:42 PM
University is a place where people often find their career, find their passion and, in many cases, find love.
But a series of incidents of domestic violence against women has led many in China to seek solutions.
In November 2020, in the southwestern province of Sichuan, a female student at Sichuan University Jinjiang College was killed by her boyfriend during a fight. He took his own life afterwards.
Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China.
A month later, also in Sichuan, a man murdered his 19-year-old girlfriend who attended Leshan Vocational and Technical College.
A growing awareness of the violence many young women face in relationships in China has led to proposals for mandatory relationship courses. Photo: Getty
In October 2019, a female student from the prestigious Peking University in Beijing committed suicide after her boyfriend had repeatedly degraded herbecause she had had sex when they first met. In China, virginity is still often considered a virtue for young women.
There are no official statistics of cases of domestic abuse and violence in China’s universities, euphemistically called “passion tragedies” by some, however high visibility through media coverage has prompted a national discussion.
Yu Xinwei, a legislative deputy from the National People’s Congress (NPC), thinks a possible solution is to make it mandatory for universities to teach courses about marriage and relationships.
She suggested university students are less likely to commit “extreme acts” with “a proper understanding of love and relationships”, during the NPC’s Two Sessions meeting which is taking place this week.
To help intervene before relationships become tragic, Yu said universities should invest in teachers and course materials to create a holistic “relationship education system”.
“College students are the foundation of Chinese talent. Their value and understanding of relationships is an important indicator of the future of Chinese families and marriage,” she said.
Beijing-based equal rights organizer Ying Xin said the course is needed, but the proposal seemed too broad and emphasised the need to tackle issues around violence and gender.
“We also need to teach non-violent communication.” She added. “We need to teach people about respect and violence. If one respects another person, have no tolerance for violence, they wouldn’t commit a violent act on other people.”
Tue, 9 March 2021, 2:42 PM
University is a place where people often find their career, find their passion and, in many cases, find love.
But a series of incidents of domestic violence against women has led many in China to seek solutions.
In November 2020, in the southwestern province of Sichuan, a female student at Sichuan University Jinjiang College was killed by her boyfriend during a fight. He took his own life afterwards.
Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China.
A month later, also in Sichuan, a man murdered his 19-year-old girlfriend who attended Leshan Vocational and Technical College.
A growing awareness of the violence many young women face in relationships in China has led to proposals for mandatory relationship courses. Photo: Getty
In October 2019, a female student from the prestigious Peking University in Beijing committed suicide after her boyfriend had repeatedly degraded herbecause she had had sex when they first met. In China, virginity is still often considered a virtue for young women.
There are no official statistics of cases of domestic abuse and violence in China’s universities, euphemistically called “passion tragedies” by some, however high visibility through media coverage has prompted a national discussion.
Yu Xinwei, a legislative deputy from the National People’s Congress (NPC), thinks a possible solution is to make it mandatory for universities to teach courses about marriage and relationships.
She suggested university students are less likely to commit “extreme acts” with “a proper understanding of love and relationships”, during the NPC’s Two Sessions meeting which is taking place this week.
To help intervene before relationships become tragic, Yu said universities should invest in teachers and course materials to create a holistic “relationship education system”.
“College students are the foundation of Chinese talent. Their value and understanding of relationships is an important indicator of the future of Chinese families and marriage,” she said.
Beijing-based equal rights organizer Ying Xin said the course is needed, but the proposal seemed too broad and emphasised the need to tackle issues around violence and gender.
“We also need to teach non-violent communication.” She added. “We need to teach people about respect and violence. If one respects another person, have no tolerance for violence, they wouldn’t commit a violent act on other people.”
Zhang Lining, the founder of JoyInLaw Youth Empowerment Academy, a China-based organization raising legal awareness among children and family members, said she would love to learn more about the details of the course.
“The course design needs to consider the psychology of these college graduates, “ she said.
“Are the college students provided with enough tools to sort through their negative emotions? How is the quality of college counselling? These are all things to consider.”
Mandatory relationship courses also might help young Chinese catch up with learning about sex and love.
Many students have expressed an interest in relationship courses as it tailors with China’s highly academic focused society. Photo: Getty
The country’s brutally competitive education system often means secondary school students are hyper-focused on school, leaving little room for dating.
In 2016, The Beijing News published research that showed most Chinese people had their first sexual encounter between the age of 17 and 22.
By comparison, more than 65 per cent of 18-year-old Americans say they have already had sex, according to Guttmacher, a US-based sexual and reproductive health organisation.
The reality of all-consuming academic lifestyles makes the idea of relationship courses very popular among young Chinese.
Last year, a survey organised by China Youth Daily and various college newspapers showed more than 88 per cent of Chinese college students support the idea of adding dating courses to their college studies.
A quarter of the 1,028 participants from the survey said they would use the course to solve relationship problems. 4.4 per cent said they hope the courses could help them to find love.
