Fighting family violence for gender equality

A young woman drops in at a government social relief shelter with her child, begging not for money, but for food. The experienced staff, trained in handling domestic violence cases, see the fear in her eyes and are quick to detect the inconsistencies in her statements. Thanks to their patience and persistent but sympathetic questioning, out comes a sad tale.

That happened a year ago in a town in East China's Shandong Province. Today, the woman, surnamed Dong, works as a translator in Xuzhou in East China's Jiangsu Province. She is proficient both in Russian and Korean. And most importantly, she is free - from her husband's regular beatings and the constant fear she used to live in. Her main concern now is to give her child the good life that it deserves.

How did this miracle come about? After listening to her tale of torture, the employees of the Shandong social relief shelter, part of a pilot national network for domestic violence victims, contacted their colleagues in Xuzhou. They made all the necessary arrangements for Dong's rehabilitation there, giving her a chance to start life anew.