Over 70 pct of domestic violence victims silent: NGO

Beijing (CNS) -- According to a survey conducted by the Maple Women's Psychological Counseling Center, a Beijing-based NGO for women's rights, more than half of the interviewees had suffered from domestic violence, and 74.1 percent of those had kept silent about it.

The figure is twice as high as that released by the All-China Women's Federation.

The survey results were released on Sunday as part of an anti-domestic violence campaign coinciding with the approach the International Day of Families.

The center interviewed 1,858 people – 435 men and 1,423 women. 38 percent of the male interviewees and 43.9 percent of the females hold a high school level of education or above; 43.2 percent are in their 30s and 40.9 percent are in their 20s.

Of the respondents, 30.6 percent cite "helplessness" as their reason for remaining silent, while 27.3 percent cite "embarrassment" and 16.2 percent say they did it "for the sake of their children and themselves." Most of them have sought help from friends and relatives rather than official or social institutions.

Yet talking is the first step toward escaping the pain, Hou Zhiming, an expert with the counseling center, told CNS. It is the only way victims can get help and find justice.

The anti-domestic violence campaign is part of a global program carried out in 16 countries. The Chinese branch is being conducted in Beijing, Shijiazhuang, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Chengdu.