Incidents with Chinese students prompt safety concerns
- By Guo Yiming
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail China.org.cn, August 21, 2015
Concerns over the safety of Chinese schoolgirls are on the rise following the recent tragedy of a college girl who was reported missing and was later confirmed dead after a failed rape attempt.
Zhou Meimei (an alias), a graduate student majoring in acting at the Communication University of China, was reportedly killed by a male schoolmate after she had been missing for over 30 hours, according to police authorities in Beijing.
|
|
| "The reason behind the killing is to vent my frustrations,“ said the 23-year-old suspect Li Kai (an alias). [Photo / BTV] |
The 23-year-old suspect Li Kai (an alias), an audio directing major at the same university who allegedly recommended Zhou for a role in a movie, invited the girl to his home and killed her after a failed sexual advance.
"The reason behind the killing is to vent my frustrations. Zhou and I both finished our undergraduate studies in the same year, but she was accepted to graduate school while my luck turned for the worse," said Li in his confession. "Killing excited me."
Similar cases
In recent years, the number of similar tragedies has increased at an alarming rate, triggering fear regarding the potential risks facing young women.
Over 30 similar tragedies have been reported between August and early September in 2014, a period of time that had been dubbed as "Black August."
Zhang Yuhe (an alias), a 23-year old college student from Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan Province, was reported missing on her way back to school on Sept. 2, 2014. The provincial police authority confirmed that the girl, who withdrew 150,000 yuan (US$23,459) in cash, was killed by her neighbor, surnamed Huang, on Sept. 6, after a failed rape attempt. Zhang's body had been found in a fishpond near the crime scene.
Twenty-year-old college girl Gao Hua (an alias) from Chongqing Municipality reportedly went missing after getting into a black car in the city's Tongliang District on Aug. 9, 2014. Ten days later, the police arrested Pu Zhengfu, the owner of the car, who admitted to killing the schoolgirl after raping her several times.
Twenty-year-old college girl Wang Liang (an alias) was reported missing on August 16, 2014, after getting off at the wrong train station on her way home in Nanchang, the capital of Jiangxi Province. Police later confirmed that the girl climbed onto a three-wheeled motorcycle she thought would take her home. The suspect was arrested on August 18th and admitted to raping and killing her.
Root causes
Chinese schoolgirls are becoming targets of sexual violence. Over 57 percent of college students have experienced certain levels of harassment, according to an investigation conducted by the All-China Women's Federation concerning students from 15 universities in cities like Beijing and Nanjing.
"Population movement and the growing gap between the rich and poor may account for the prevalence of sexual violence and even the muder of schoolgirls," said Wang Zhongwu, a professor in sociology at China's Shandong University. "As campus students are one of the most innocent and vulnerable groups, they tend to be the target of rapists and murders who want to vent their anger and desire in this unbalanced world."
On the victim's side, a lack of security awareness is also a major reason behind their misfortune.
According to an UN survey, more than 80 percent of sexual assault cases happen between acquaintances.
That is to say, neighbors, friends, bosses, colleagues and former lovers all might pose a threat to one's safety.
Among 225 rape cases reported in the Baoan District of Shenzhen, China's southern metropolis, only 8 percent occurred between strangers, as victims are more likely to lower their defences in front of acquaintances.
According to another survey, over 80 percent of rape cases happened after tough squabbles or physical altercations.
Think the unthinkable
Experts warned that girls should avoid traveling alone at night and never get into unlicensed vehicles or share transportation with strangers.
"Before getting into a car, make sure to note down the plate number of the vehicle while maintaining your alertness all the way to the destination," said Li Meijin, a professor at China's Renmin University. "Pay attention to the driving route and update the details to friends and families as potential dangers arise."
Even in the worst case scenario, girls should also keep calm and seek help whenever possible as objects in their surroundings can often be used to defend themselves against violence.
"Life is more important than anything," said Li. "At least try to avoid serious harm even in the worst possible circumstance."
Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)