Even men can suffer domestic violence

The Mentougou district court in western Beijing recently issued a restraining order on a woman to protect her husband, surnamed Zhang, from domestic violence. It is the first such order to be issued in Beijing, and one of the first of its kind nationwide.

The court order, not surprisingly, has sparked a debate on social media. While many netizens have expressed sympathy for the man, some say they do not believe a man can be beaten up by his wife. A few have even made fun of Zhang, saying he is "not man enough" and "a true man should fight back".

There is a common misunderstanding about domestic violence in China. When people talk about domestic violence, they envisage a man beating up his wife. That to a large extent is true, especially because men in general are of better physical build than women. But that does not necessarily mean only men can be bullies.