ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on violence between husband and wife, and official reactions to it, with a brief discussion on violence against children and elders. It discusses the prevalence of domestic violence, followed by a summary of the patterns and causes of domestic violence in China. Domestic violence is a complex problem without a single cause. Based on different types of victims, domestic violence also can be classified into several general groups, including domestic violence against women, domestic violence against children, and domestic violence against the elderly. Women’s social status, especially family status, has been improved since 1949. The 1990 Investigation Report on Chinese Women’s Social Status conducted in 21 provinces found that over 50 percent of married women believe that they enjoy high or relatively high status in their family. The patterns of domestic violence reflect specific identity and shared physical, psychological, and social attributes, as well as external manifestations.
