November 03, 2020, 11:52 AM
A woman was beaten to death in China by her husband as onlookers watched without intervening, and there is even video footage showing the shocking attack take place in broad daylight.
Police said in a statement the woman was killed on Saturday morning.
The man is since repeatedly bashing the woman over her head and back with a stool.
The incident has since sparked outrage and raised new questions about domestic violence.
Photos of the assault first appeared on social media and in domestic news outlets on Sunday, Nov. 1, and have been shared millions of times.
State media said the violence erupted after the married couple accidentally hit a vehicle while driving an electric scooter in Shuozhou city.
"The suspect is in the custody of public security organs, and the case is being fully investigated," police said.
In the footage, cyclists, motorists and pedestrians, including children, can be seen watching the street-side attack.
Media posts about the incident drew tens of thousands of comments, with most criticising the inaction of the bystanders and the lax attitude towards domestic violence in some sectors of Chinese society.
"He's not holding a machine gun, why did no one step forward to control him?" asked one commenter in a widely shared response.
China domestic violence law
China only introduced a specific law criminalising domestic violence in 2015.
Violence within families is often ignored, activists say.
About one in four Chinese women experienced violence during her marriage, the government-run All-China Women's Federation estimated at the time the law was passed.
Authorities register some 40,000 to 50,000 complaints a year.
Warning, graphic violence:
Shanxi, yesterday - at least 4 people stand around as this man beats his wife. Nobody steps in to stop this 'marital conflict.' This is how it starts, but it ends up with the woman being stabbed & killed by her husband.
— Manya Koetse (@manyapan) November 1, 2020
Many people looked on and filmed, yet nobody stopped him. pic.twitter.com/mzYRfJ6e2l
Top photo via
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