China outlaws sexual harassment

[MaineDem]

China has for the first time outlawed sexual harassment and domestic violence, establishing gender equality as a national policy.

The amendment was passed by the top lawmaking body, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.

Women will now be able to take legal action against abusive husbands and those who harass them.

Correspondents say women in China are still far from equal and domestic violence remains a huge problem

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4192672.stm

[Kagemusha]

1. Hey, Red China did a lot to raise women up decades ago.

I mean, compared to where women were in that country before. I bet there's been a ton of backsliding too. It's not that long ago that I actually read what 'foot binding' really meant. Female foot mutilation in my eyes. To go from there to outlawing sexual harassment took a while. Outlawing domestic violence? Now that's truly radical given traditions in that country and I'm sure more than one other Asian country, too.

Will it amount to anything? Probably not, since the people will fight this 'intrusion'.

[Iris]

2. I hope it does.

It might still be Hell to be a young woman over there, considering that many of their peers never saw the light of day due to infanticide. Young women must be quite outnumbered by now.

[ckramer]

4. Foot binding probably happened a couple of hundred years ago

And chinese today can send an astronaut into the orbit. So I don't see a connection between foot blinding and outlawing of sexual harassment here.

[On the Road]

5. As Far as Foot-Binding Goes

my girlfriend's grandmother had her feet bound because her great-grandparents wanted their daughter to marry up and have a more secure life than they did. She put up such a fuss over the bindings that the parents eventually gave up and removed them. Just thought I'd share that.

And I am glad about the sexual harrassment and gender equality laws. The Chinese are ahead of the Japanese in this area.

[coffeenap]

3. Oh good- it is a start, I suppose but

we know how well laws have worked to eradicate sexual harassment and domestic violence here!:sarcasm:

[fortyfeetunder]

6. Considering China's punishment methods

Can you imagine what a punishment for sexual harassment could be?

[Robert Oak]

7. I'm shocked, but applaud this effort

China is notorious for sex discrimination and violence and generally
devaluing women.

Now if we could get the attack on our laws and enforcement (they want to overturn equal opportunity and discrimination laws and are constantly
castrating organizations like the EEOC and then turning the DOL
into a enforcement agency for employers versus workers)...
wouldn't that be something?