Southeast Asia Information Port (www.dnyxxg.com) – On November 21, the Supreme People's Court released eight typical cases of domestic violence in China for 2025, demonstrating the people's courts' firm determination to protect the rights and interests of women and children, and their clear "zero tolerance" attitude towards domestic violence.
The typical cases clearly state that domestic violence is an illegal or criminal act that infringes upon the personal rights of others. Violence is illegal regardless of whether it occurs within or outside the home; the word "family" does not exempt it from legal constraints. Furthermore, not only physical violence such as beatings constitute domestic violence, but also psychological violence, including the continuous use of humiliation and degradation to inflict mental torture and torment on family members in the "Mou abuse case" and the self-harm threats in the "Lu's application for a personal safety protection order case."
These cases also emphasize the need to properly grasp the characteristics of domestic violence cases, comprehensively assess and determine evidence, and, when necessary, allow individuals with specialized knowledge to appear in court to provide assistance. In the case of "Ren's rape and molestation of children," the chain of evidence was constructed centered on the victim's statement. After ruling out the possibility of accusations, inducements, false accusations, or framing, details in the minor's statement that were unknowable without firsthand experience were recognized. The case of "Xu's intentional homicide" corrected the overly critical question of "why wasn't it reported sooner," demonstrating the judiciary's humanistic concern and professional judgment regarding the plight of domestic violence victims.
Furthermore, the cases focused on the judicial protection of special groups such as minors within the victimized family, effectively implementing the principle of "maximizing the best interests of the minor." In the case of "Ji v. Su's custody dispute," the judiciary considered that domestic violence could easily lead minor children to develop incorrect perceptions of domestic violence and potentially induce psychological trauma or imitation, supporting a change in custody to prevent the intergenerational transmission of violence. In the case of "Xu v. Zheng's divorce," the value of housework was affirmed, compensating for the career development opportunities sacrificed by abused women due to long-term family obligations, providing them with double protection.
