China’s anti-domestic violence law on fast track   

反家暴法草案将征求意见 草案送审稿已交国务院

(ECNS) -- China's anti-domestic violence law has been drafted and will be submitted for public opinion soon, the Beijing News reported.

Tan Lin, of the secretariat of the All-China Women's Federation, said on Monday at a press conference that the anti-domestic violence law was included in the legislative agenda after 29 provinces had adopted related regulations.

The draft, drawn up by many experts, has been submitted to the State Council, and is expected to be released to the public for opinion soon, she added.

The law would provide comprehensive national legislation on family violence, experts said. Currently, 125 countries around the world have laws that criminalize various forms of family violence, according to reports.

Xue Ninglan, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that women, children and seniors fall victim to domestic violence.

Nearly 25 percent of Chinese women have suffered from domestic violence, and 33.5 percent of girls and 52.9 percent of boys have received corporal punishment from parents in the past year, according to a survey conducted in 2010.

Ning said 13.3 percent of seniors were mistreated in China, citing a poll aimed at seniors older than 65.

The International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women (EVAW) is held every year on November 25 and was first adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1999.