Drive to give women better legal aid

The Supreme People's Procuratorate and the All-China Women's Federation have launched a special operation beefing up judicial assistance provided to women in need while their cases are being handled by prosecutors.

Procuratorial organs are working with the ACWF to increase access to help and specialist services for women during the operation, which runs until the end of this year.

Women from rural areas at risk of falling back into poverty, and women suffering from domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking and other crimes are eligible for the extra judicial assistance.

They also include women with serious illnesses or disabilities, and elderly women without support, or whose source of support is unable to provide adequate help.

The SPP has urged prosecutors to improve their awareness of the avenues of relief that can be provided to women during their cases, and to be comprehensively aware of the clues that may be shown by a woman in need.

For women who meet the conditions for judicial assistance, procuratorial organs should promptly take action and assign procurators to help them submit written statements and provide evidence. Their children under the age of 18 should also be helped, the SPP said.

Procuratorial organs handling the cases may also cooperate with local women's federations to assist those facing difficulties due to civil infringement cases, such as sexual discrimination or sexual harassment in the workplace, or suing for divorce as a result of domestic violence.

The legitimate rights of the recipients of the assistance, such as the right to reputation and privacy, should be protected while avoiding creating any secondary harm, the SPP said.

In one case under investigation, judicial authorities and departments of civil affairs, healthcare and the women's federation in Jiaxian county of Yulin, Shaanxi province, are following up on the rehabilitation of an abducted woman surnamed Tao, who appeared in an online post on March 1, locked in an "iron cage".

Tao was born in 1983 in Foping county of Hanzhong, Shaanxi, and began suffering from a speech disorder and a mental illness in May 2002. She needed to take medicine to control her situation, a statement from the investigation group said.

In September 2010, Tao got lost and met a suspect surnamed Wu in Xi'an, Shaanxi. Later, Tao was sold to her current husband surnamed Li for 8,000 yuan ($1,250) by Wu and had lived in Jiaxian county of Yulin until the online post brought attention to her plight.

Police in Yulin have arrested Wu on suspicion of trafficking women. Li is suspected of buying abducted women, but the time limit for prosecution has passed. The case is under further investigation.

Tao has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. She has been sent to a mental health facility for treatment, and people have been assigned to take care of her son while she is in care. A total of 13 people have been penalized in the case.