Behind the façade of China's growing economic might and global influence lies a stark reality: thousands of women are being subjected to forced marriage and exploitation. In a country where dissent is stifled and civil society organisations are under siege, a network of courageous female activists is working covertly to provide support to victims of human trafficking. Their efforts highlight the dark underbelly of Chinese society, where patriarchal norms and corruption enable abuse on an alarming scale.
Last summer, Xiaocao, a 40-year-old activist, investigated reports of women being forced into marriages in Lüliang, a small city in Shanxi province. Her discreet inquiry revealed a woman allegedly 'married' to two brothers, prompting concerns that official channels may be failing to address the issue. This case underscores the complex web of abuse and exploitation that activists are trying to untangle.
The 'chained woman' incident, which gained international attention in 2022, has galvanised a new generation of feminist activists within China. Despite government efforts to suppress dissenting voices, this clandestine movement is driven by outrage over the brutal treatment of vulnerable women and determination to expose the truth behind China's claims of combating human trafficking.
While Beijing asserts that tackling trafficking is a priority, with a 10-year action plan launched in 2021 and an almost 80% reduction in trafficking crimes since 2012, activists and external reports raise red flags. The decline in online legal judgments makes it increasingly difficult to verify official claims or access details of specific cases, fuelling concerns that the government's statistics may be suspect.
A US government report on trafficking in China last year highlighted that some forced marriage cases are mediated at a village level, often resulting in lenient verdicts. President Xi Jinping's crackdown on civil society since 2012 has created an unfavourable climate for organisations working on issues like sexual harassment and domestic violence, forcing them to operate under the radar.