In the footage, cyclists, motorists, pedestrians are seen watching the attack (Performance)
Beijing:
Video footage and footage that appears to show a man in China beating his wife to death as onlookers stood next to it and did nothing sparked outrage and raised new questions about domestic violence.
Images of the assault first appeared on social media and national news outlets on Sunday and have been shared millions of times.
State media said violence erupted after the married couple accidentally hit a vehicle while riding an electric scooter in Shuozhou City. Police said in a statement the woman was killed on Saturday morning.
“The suspect is being held by public security organs and the case is currently under full investigation,” police said.
In the footage, cyclists, motorists and pedestrians, including children, can be seen watching the attack on the street.
Media reports on the incident drew tens of thousands of comments, most criticizing the inaction of onlookers and the lax attitude towards domestic violence in some sectors of Chinese society.
“He’s not holding a machine gun, why hasn’t anyone stepped forward to control him?” asked a commenter in a widely shared response.
China only introduced a specific law criminalizing domestic violence in 2015. Activists say domestic violence is often overlooked.
At the time the law was passed, the government-run Chinese Women’s Federation estimated that about one in four Chinese women had experienced violence during their marriage. The authorities register between 40,000 and 50,000 complaints per year.
The outrage over the attack is reminiscent of a 2011 incident, also filmed, when a toddler in Foshan City was hit by a vehicle twice and ignored by dozens of passers-by.
Social media users have pointed out that there is a widespread perception in China that someone stepping in to help could be responsible for hospital costs or be trapped in scams, discouraging people from intervening.
China enacted “Good Samaritan” legislation in 2017 to tackle the problem by removing civil liability from those involved in helping victims of violence or accidents.
(Except for the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
