Mistresses exposed(2)

However, it seems the same consideration does not extend to mistresses. According to a recent Sina Weibo survey, 79 of the total 97 respondents voted that "mistresses deserved to be stripped."

Experts believed that the increased number of exposed affairs, especially among government officials, also contributed to the current general disdain for mistresses as purveyors of immoral behavior.

Forty eight of the total 241 government officials that have stepped down since 2012 were accused of having extramarital affairs, the Beijing Times reported in September.

The report also implicated the mistresses as a main motivators behind their corruption.

Legal action

Not only does mistress shaming receive widespread support online, but also its victims are unlikely to press charges, experts say.

One of the reasons such incidents continue is because the victims are reluctant to pursue any legal action as it would attract more negative attention to themselves, said Liu Weizhao, a lawyer at Beijing Anbo Law Firm.

In addition, those that do decide to press charges may encounter authorities that in part weigh the case based on moral values, Liu said.

"In determining fault and punishment, police also consider whether the victims have wronged the attackers. So when the victims are found to be homewreckers, the attackers may be handed reduced penalties," Liu said.

Experts also suggested that another reason behind the increased mistress attacks is because the legal system also provides those wronged within the marriage few avenues for legal action.

Mo Shaoping, a law professor at the Central University of Finance and Economics, said that unfaithful spouses could once be charged with adultery, but that law was repealed shortly after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.

The only other punishable offense is bigamy, which according to the Marriage Law, is defined as co-habitating or having children with someone other than one's legal spouse, Mo said.Such cases are punishable by up to two years in prison or detention.

"However, bigamy does not extend to those who have extramarital affairs and still primarily live with their legal spouse," Mo said.

During the Second Plenum of the 11th CPC Central Committee in 2009, a CPC representative, Ma Lan, offered a proposal that would allow victims of adultery to seek compensation from the third party, according to the Nanfang Daily.

Those who upload and spread images of mistress shamings and the websites that host them also face punishment.

"If the accusations are proven false, those who posted the images can be fined or detained for spreading rumors. If the facts are verified, they could be charged with violating the victim's right to privacy," said You Chao, a Beijing-based lawyer.

The same charges also would apply to websites, he added.

According to the Criminal Law and its judicial interpretation on Protecting Internet Security, anyone suspected of spreading false information online that is reposted more than 500 times or receives over 5,000 clicks can be charged with defamation of character and jailed for up to 10 years.