Verdict on sex with minors sets precedent

Two people in Qionglai, Sichuan province, who were accused of prostituting girls under the age of 14 two years ago, have been sentenced to five years in prison for rape of a minor. This is the first time that prostituting underage girls has been ruled as rape. Comments:

The local court's verdict of rape deserves people's full respect, because the crime of prostituting underage girls is far from being convincing in explaining itself. Those minors who are identified as too young to express their true will may end up descending into prostitution under such a stigma, as the charge shows no due respect for them.

Hong Daode, a law professor from China University of Political Science and Law, Mar 3

The fundamental difference between the crime of prostituting and raping underage girls lies in the girls' age, which the courts have often failed to see, thus indirectly affirming that victims are prostitutes. This is contradicting both the law that aims to protect children and the principle of "best interest of the child" established by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Ye Rui, an associate researcher with Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences, Mar 3

Since last year, rather than the charge of prostituting underage girls, the charge of raping a minor has been applied in such cases. The abolition of the former will just be a matter of time.

Sun Xiaomei, a professor at the China Women's University in Beijing, Mar 3