Blog 2: Abused Woman Sentenced to Death

A woman in Beijing is facing the death penalty because of the murder of her husband. In 2009 they married after her husband told her he had beaten his last three wives. Soon after the wedding she began experiencing abuse at the hands of her husband. Her brother says that he would burn her with cigarettes, hit her head against the wall and he even locked her outside in the winter for hours. Li Yan beat her husband to death with his gun, cut him up and boiled some parts in 2010 and was given the sentence of murder. Her brother believes what his sister did was wrong but he still hopes to get her a better sentence and is fighting to stand by her side.  There are some records documenting the abuse that she suffered but her brother Mr. Li and activists say the Supreme Court in Beijing did not take this into consideration when they sentenced her to death. Ms. Yan tried to get help from several places but it seems she was not given the proper help which aided in her actions. People are saying that the courts turned a blind eye to the abuse and it was not given the proper consideration so an appeal is in the works.

                There is something to be said about this case. Although I am not justifying murder, I do believe that after enduring physical and emotional abuse a woman can become unstable enough to commit murder. Clearly she reached out to people but was given various responses and there seemed to be no way out. I do believe there should be a psychiatric evaluation to determine her state of mind and proper therapy and treatment should be considered. In the Chinese culture men are placed lower than women and many may fell as though they have no help or support when they are faced with these kinds of situations where they are at the hands of an abusive husband. There should be proper procedures that are taken when a woman reports abuse such as a thorough investigation, proper safe housing for the women when they choose to leave, and programs to help women cope and to continue to live in society.

 http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/30/world/asia/chinese-courts-turn-a-blind-eye-to-abuse.html?ref=women&_r=0

 

Ashley Lumsden

2/7/13

1:54 PM