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Kim Lee takes on domestic violence

By Wu Jin: 0 Comment(s)Print E-mail China.org.cn, November 29, 2011

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Kim Lee could hardly contain her emotions in the auditorium at Capital Normal University on Nov. 25, where she had eloquently shared her story of bravery with students just a few seconds prior. Staring at the signatures and blessings on heart-shaped greeting cards presented to her by students in an ornamental box, Kim Lee burst into tears. Following an interim of silence, audience members passed a box of tissues to her seat.

Life has turned upside down for Lee in the past few months since her celebrity husband Li Yang, the magnate founder of Crazy English language training centers, knocked her to the floor, slamming her in the face in front of their three-year-old daughter. Pushed over the limit, she called police and posted pictures of her swollen forehead and bruised legs on Weibo (China’s equivalent to Twitter).

Kim Lee could hardly contain her emotions in the auditorium at Capital Normal University on Nov. 25, a day to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. [China.org.cn]

The photos shocked netizens all over the country, who largely knew Li as the educator who invented the iconic "yelling" strategy to memorize English phrases and sentences.

In the media circus that ensued following the allegations, Lee found, as a victim, she had no more advantage than her husband. In a TV interview, Li claimed his American wife and the children from their marriage were part of an experiment conducted for his career in English teaching and cross-cultural communication. He also argued that the controversy stemmed from Lee’s misunderstandings of Chinese culture, which have led some to believe that he expected his wife to accept the violence and remain silent.

In her Weibo, Lee said she could not bear her husband using the media spotlight as an opportunity for self-promotion, which she said hurt her even deeper than her physical injuries.

"I'm American and Yang is Chinese that is not the problem, the problem is violence," Lee said.

"If I can help to change the concepts that domestic violence is 'common, acceptable, should not be disclosed, the fault of the wife, and part of Chinese culture', then I feel both honored and obligated to do so," Lee said in an email to the Beijing Fan Bao Culture Development Co. Ltd, a anti-domestic violence organization in Beijing. "Domestic violence is not culture. Domestic violence is a crime."

Lee’s determination in fighting domestic violence in China has been praised in the international community. Julie Broussard, Country Program Manager of UN Women China, said: "In China, domestic violence is traditionally regarded as a private family matter. In the face of this dominant cultural norm, Kim Lee chose to break the silence."

"Kim's courage to speak out on this issue has set a positive example for many other domestic violence survivors who may be reluctant to disclose how they are suffering," Broussard said.

Kim Lee, the American woman who was beaten by her well-known Chinese educator husband Li Yang, speaks to Beijing students about domestic abuse on November 25, a day to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. [China.org.cn]

A recent survey conducted by All-China Women's Federation showed domestic violence occurs in about 80 million families in China, with roughly 90 percent of cases involving abused women.

China has not yet implemented laws and regulations aimed at curbing violence inside the home. Although legislators are drafting a new policy in response to immense social demand, they have yet to reveal any specific date for implementation.

In face of a legal vacuum, victims of domestic violence can publicize their sufferings on Weibo, call relevant hotlines and turn to those they trust for help, said Feng Yuan, chairperson of the Board of Directors from Beijing Fan Bao Culture Development Co. Ltd.

The event was held to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

Institutions for the protection of women’s rights:

Public Service for the Protection on Women’s Rights from All-China Women’s Federation:

Tel:123-38

China Women and Children Counseling Center:

Tel: 400-601-233-8

Legal Assistant Center of All-China Women’s Federation:

Address: No.7 Baishu Lane, Dengshikou, Dongcheng District, Beijing

Post Code: 100006

Tel: 010-652-345-90, 010-652-345-91

Email: legalcenter@sina.com

Beijing Women’s Federation: