China
23:09, 23-Dec-2018
Protection order filed for girl after parents admit to child abuse revealed in disturbing footage
Updated
22:56, 26-Dec-2018
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A married couple in south China's Shenzhen City has admitted to abusing their child after footage of them erratically beating their daughter surfaced online, leading to a police investigation.
The shocking video shows a girl in a school uniform being slapped, kicked, slammed to the floor, and hit with a broom by her parents.
The girl miraculously escaped physical injury, according to a statement by authorities in Bao'an District on Sunday night.
Footage shows the girl in school uniform was repeatedly beaten by her mother. /Screenshot via Weibo
Footage shows the girl in school uniform was repeatedly beaten by her mother. /Screenshot via Weibo
A personal protection order has been filed on behalf of the child, who will also receive psychological counseling as authorities' probe into child abuse continues.
Under China's first law against domestic violence, which took effect on March 2016, personal protection orders are legal weapons for victims of family violence.
Victims and those in immediate danger can file for a personal protection order, which the court must grant or deny within 72 hours. In urgent cases, decisions can be made as fast as within 24 hours.
The harrowing event sparked public outcry online with the now-deleted videos of the parents beating their daughter next to another child at home racking up over 23 million views under a hashtag on China's Twitter-like Weibo.
Another child can is in the room as the parents lash out at their daughter. /Screenshot via Weibo
Another child can is in the room as the parents lash out at their daughter. /Screenshot via Weibo
The troubling footage first show the woman knocking her daughter off a chair and throwing her body to the floor.
In another scene, the woman uses a broom to smack her daughter on the back.
Another part of the video shows a man in the yellow uniform of Chinese food delivery service Meituan also striking the girl with a broom. /Screenshot via Weibo
Another part of the video shows a man in the yellow uniform of Chinese food delivery service Meituan also striking the girl with a broom. /Screenshot via Weibo
The man quit the company less than two months ago, said Meituan in a statement amid the controversy.
Family violence has long been overlooked as household conflicts were treated as embarrassing, private matters. But in recent years, the issue and other forms of domestic violence gained more attention in China, amid an increase in public awareness.
Domestic violence came into the spotlight in 2013 after the buzz around Kim Lee, who was married to celebrity English teacher Li Yang and who made history for being granted a divorce on grounds of domestic violence, according to Xinhua.