Lawyer defends rights of 'er nai'
(Xinhua) Updated: 2006-10-25 08:59 A Beijing lawyer who defends the rights of
"er nai," or mistresses, might need some defending himself.
Four months ago, Zheng Baichun set up a Website offering legal advice to
women in relationships with married men. Over 100 mistresses have asked for his
help.
He believed mistresses are vulnerable as many are from poor families.
Zheng's wife apparently didn't share the lawyer's commitment to his cause and
she has filed for divorce.
For his cause, he says any unmarried woman who has a stable sexual
relationship with a man and receives financial support from him has legal rights
that need protection.
His Website and his ideas have led to some harsh criticism. It is not unusual
for rich Chinese men to keep mistresses who often draw criticism for corrupting
public morals.
Zheng said mistresses are often afraid to rely on the law to safeguard their
rights which can be undermined by society's moral standards rather than ruled by
law.
Zheng's Website has received more than 36,000 visits.
He has helped four women so far. In one case he helped a woman win child
support from a man who fathered her son 13 years earlier.
Guo Huimin with the Northwestern Polytechnic University said the legal rights
of mistresses should not be denied. "Moral wrongs and legal issues should not be
confused," Guo said.
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