Women's studies experts have urged the society to pay more attention to mothers, as Mother's Day was celebrated in a number of countries Sunday.
Domestic violence remains the most serious issue facing women and children in modern society, according to Zhai Yan, assistant to the director of the Beijing-based Women's Psychological Counseling Center, Monday's "China Daily" reports.
Women and children are considered the most vulnerable groups in society. Many women have called the Maple Women's Hotline and appealed to people from all walks of life to create a peaceful social environment, Zhai said.
After Beijing's hosting of the World Women's Congress in 1995, domestic violence became a hot topic and an issue for lawmakers. Since then, organizations, centers, workshops and hotlines in cities, provinces and municipalities have been founded to increase public awareness and to prevent and stop domestic violence.
Another problem relevant revealed through the hotline is that abused women tend to become abusers to their children, said Zhai. Statistics show women beat children more often than men do in Chinese families where there is domestic violence.
"To fight domestic violence is a systemic social program that involves attention and watchfulness from the legislation field, medical services and community intervention," said Wang Simei, deputy director of the Women's Studies Institute of China affiliated with the All-China Women's Federation.
(Xinhua News Agency May 13, 2002)
