Chinese courts pledge to better protect victims of domestic violence

BEIJING -- China's top court Thursday made public 10 typical judicial cases as part of the country's efforts to protect victims of domestic violence.

The cases published by the Supreme People's Court (SPC) involved illegal acts including intentional homicide and intentional injury as well as cases regarding personal safety protection orders and divorce disputes.

In one intentional homicide case, a court judgement noted that individuals convicted of domestic violence crimes should not receive a lighter or mitigated punishment if their limited criminal responsibility is a result of self-inflicted behavior, such as alcohol consumption.

In another case in which a domestic violence victim was accused of intentional injury, a court judgement reads acts stopping ongoing violence in the family, as long as they are in line with the Criminal Law, can be justified as self-defense and exempted from criminal charges.

In recent years, Chinese courts have been working to improve the system of laws and regulations regarding anti-domestic violence.

In March 2015, the SPC and other authorities jointly issued China's first comprehensive judicial document on domestic violence, providing guidance for the handling of domestic violence crime cases in accordance with the law.

In July 2022, the SPC issued judicial interpretations on personal safety protection orders, which further clarified the forms of domestic violence and highlighted protecting the rights and interests of domestic violence victims in a timely manner.