經濟學人談中國家庭暴力
THE most recent occasion when Ms Fan's husband beat her until her eyes were black and blue was a row over 100 yuan($16). Ms Fan, who did not want to reveal her full name, is a 37-year-oldcleaner. She helped her husband deliver gas canisters on the outskirts of Shanghai but hid some of the proceeds lest he fritter them away on gambling and booze. When he noticedthe missing money, her lies did not convince him. "He hitme in the mouth until my lips split against my teeth," she says.
最近範女士被丈夫揍到雙眼發青的事件竟是因100元人民幣（16美元）而起。不願透露名字的範女士是一名現年37歲的清潔工，他同時協助丈夫在上海郊區送氣罐，但卻因擔心丈夫賭博酗酒揮霍錢財將部分收入藏起而遭到暴打。被丈夫發現後，她的謊言並沒讓他信服。範女士說，“他揍我的嘴，直到嘴脣裂開才罷手”。
For more than a decade women's rights advocates in China have lobbied for a law to afford women better protection. On November 25th anoffice of the State Council, or cabinet, released a draft of China's firstanti-domestic violence law.
十幾年來，中國的女權倡導者一直爲出臺法規讓女性更好地得到保護進行遊說。11月25日，國務院辦公室公佈了中國首部反家庭暴力法草案。Many Chinese families suffer rding to a report by the All-China Women's Federation, a state-controlled NGO, nearly 40% of women who are married or have a boyfriend have experienced physical or sexual violence. And it found that about 53% of boys and 34% ofgirls are physically abused by their parents. Only 7% of those suffering abusein form the police. Ms Fan has been abused monthly for two decades but has never reported her husband. She would feel "too ashamed".
很多中國家庭都存在家庭暴力現象。據受政府領導的民間組織全國婦聯，將近40%已婚或有男友的女性曾遭受過身體暴力或性暴力，還有53%的男孩和34%的女孩遭到父母的虐待，但這些受到虐待的人當中只有7%的人將情況告知警方。方女士二十年來每月都會遭到丈夫虐待，但她從未報警，因爲那樣會讓她覺得“太丟人”。
Until recently physical abuse was not even acceptable grounds for divorce in China. Leta Hong Fincher, author ofthe book "Leftover Women: The Resurgence of Gender Inequality in China", says itis widely accepted, especially in the countryside, that a husband as head ofthe household has the right to hit his wife. She says one reason the governmenthas long dithered over the draft legislation may be because it is loth to be seen meddling in men's private affairs.
直至最近，家暴在中國仍是不可接受的離婚理由。《剩女:中國性別不平等死灰復燃》一書的作者Leta Hong Fincher說，人們普遍接受了這種現象，尤其是在農村，作爲一家之主的丈夫有打妻子的權利，她說政府一直猶豫出臺草案可能是因爲不想幹預男性的私事。It is no surprise, then, that victims believe reporting abuse will do little good. Restraining orders are very hardto obtain. Women's shelters are few. For mothers divorce proceedings mean the risk of losing custody of their children. Rather, victims are routinely advised by the police, women's federations and confidantes to sort out their problemsat home.
於是，受害者認爲舉報無用也就不足爲奇了。很難會有禁令下達，也幾乎沒有女性庇護所，對於母親們來說，離婚訴訟意味着有失去子女監護權的風險。確切地說，警方、婦聯和閨蜜們通常會建議她們在家中把問題解決。The draft law offers a definition of domestic violence as "physical, psychological or other infractions committed between family members".
草案對家庭暴力的定義是“家庭成員之間實施的身體、精神等方面的侵害”。Even after the law is passed, which might take months or even years, it could still be a long time before victims of domestic abuse see any benefit. Vast and unwieldy, China has many problems enforcing its existing laws. Cultural hurdles may make this one even harder to where the letter of the law leads, society may one day follow.
即使在等待了數月甚至數年後，法規終於獲通過，但家暴受害者仍需等待很長時間才能見到法律帶來的效益。由於制度十分龐大複雜且難以控制，中國在執法方面面臨很多問題，而文化障礙可能加大這部法律的執行難度。但既然法律作出了引導，社會或許終將有一日會遵守。
