BEIJING– China has executed three men found guilty of raping minors, as reported by China Central Television. The country’s highest court, the Supreme People’s Court, approved the sentences.
Zhao, Wang, and Chen, the men involved, committed their crimes at different times and places. Zhao worked at an illegal “education base” between April 2018 and March 2019. He and other instructors abused dozens of minors through beatings, threats, and forced labour.
Using fear and control, Zhao coerced eight minors, including three girls, into sexual acts. He also forced some victims to take birth control, which led to health problems. Courts at both levels sentenced Zhao to death, and the top court upheld the ruling.
Wang targeted girls on a social media platform from September 2019 to May 2022. He posed as a director looking for child actors, tricking elementary and middle school girls into sending him explicit photos and videos.
Nine Girls Molested
Wang later used threats and fake offers to meet and assault his victims, raping and molesting nine girls, including several who were very young or had mental disabilities. He recorded these assaults and used the footage to threaten the victims further.
Wang also molested more girls and a boy. His death sentence was confirmed by the Supreme People’s Court.
Chen, who had a previous rape conviction, committed his offences from January to April 2022. He joined online groups for junior high school students and added female students as contacts.
Chen raped three young girls multiple times, tried to assault another, and used videos to threaten them. Some of the girls suffered so much that they harmed themselves, tried to take their own lives, or dropped out of school.
Chen also set up group assaults against one victim and arranged for her to be exploited for money. He molested two other girls and blackmailed them. His death sentence was also approved by the country’s highest court.
A judge from the Supreme People’s Court stated that Chinese courts keep a strict stance on sexual crimes against minors and use every legal tool to punish those found guilty.
China’s “Zero Tolerance” Stance
Child rape in China is a serious crime addressed under the country’s criminal law, with severe penalties, including imprisonment and, in extreme cases, the death penalty, reflecting China’s “zero tolerance” stance on such crimes.
China’s Criminal Law prohibits rape and sexual abuse of minors, with harsher penalties for crimes against children under 14, considered the legal age of consent. Since 2015, laws have been expanded to explicitly recognize male victims of sexual abuse.
Child sexual abuse, particularly in rural areas, is often underreported due to social stigma, lack of awareness, or inadequate reporting mechanisms. A 2023 report highlighted that rural cases are less likely to be documented compared to urban areas.
A 2021 survey indicated high levels of concern about child sexual abuse in Greater China, reflecting growing public awareness.
Over the past decade, China has made strides in addressing child sexual abuse through stricter laws, public awareness campaigns, and mandatory reporting systems.
