BEIJING: China has introduced new guidelines to enhance the response to domestic violence, aiming to regulate police procedures in handling complaints and streamline case processing.
The guidelines on the warning system for domestic violence were jointly issued by nine authorities, including the Ministry of Public Security, the Supreme People’s Court and the All-China Women’s Federation.
While the full text of the 24-article guidelines has not been released, a statement published on the ministry’s website on Monday outlined specific conditions under which police can establish domestic violence cases — an area that has often sparked controversy in practice.
Under the guidelines, if a perpetrator does not dispute harming a family member, public security officials can classify the act as domestic violence based on statements from the perpetrator, the victim or witnesses.
If the perpetrator denies the allegations, police can still confirm domestic violence based on the victim’s statement or witness testimony, combined with supporting evidence. This evidence can include audio or video recordings, phone messages, or text messages documenting the harm.
Additionally, testimony from friends or neighbors, medical records, or written apologies from the perpetrator is also admissible as supporting evidence.
Peng Xinlin, a law professor at Beijing Normal University, said the guidelines aim to standardize police responses, particularly in situations where evidence for filing a case is insufficient.
In China, a case — whether administrative or criminal — can only be filed if evidence meets legal standards, explained Xu Hao, a lawyer at Beijing Jingsh Law Firm. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
