SUICIDE AS PROTEST

BY SI-SI LIU

Suicide is often used in China, especially have looked for sociological or anthropological explanations. among women, as a means of protest This article focuses on factors that may contribute to an appar- ent “suicide epidemic” among China’s women. It will also against an oppressive reality. examine women’s right to health under international human rights standards, and how these standards can be applied to make Chinese women less vulnerable to suicide. People who have the power and resources to make choices and Lack of transparency throughout the data collection process changes in their lives are usually also able to express their has posed limitations in writing this article. Suicide has long views in a variety of moderate and socially acceptable ways. For been considered a sensitive topic in China, as it can be those who lack the power or resources to address the sources regarded as a reflection of Chinese people’s dissatisfaction with of their discontent, however, suicide may provide a last resort. their lives, and as a subtle act of resistance against a repressive While western biomedical culture associates suicide with society.The high incidence of suicide during various political unfulfilled needs and feelings, hopelessness, helplessness and upheavals such as the Anti-Rightist Movement and the Cultural solutions for an escape,1 suicide holds different meanings for Revolution certainly reflects the grim horror of those times. It Chinese people, especially for women positioned at the lower was only in 1989 that the Chinese government began releasing end of the power balance. In the Chinese context, life is con- mortality figures that included suicide among other causes of sidered the most valuable gift granted by parents.The Chinese deaths to the World Health Organization (WHO). However, saying, “We receive our body,including hair and skin, from given the sensitive nature of suicide, it is difficult for outsiders our parents, and we dare not injure them if we are filial” (shenti to monitor the accuracy of China’s official death statistics. fafu shou zhi fuwu,bu gan huishang,xiao zhi shi ye), conveys the value placed on life and the physical body.However, Chinese con- The problem sider suicide acceptable for reasons of honor.A classic example In China, an average of 287,000 deaths per year are caused by of heroic suicide was the patriotic poet Qu Yuan, who killed suicide, comprising 3.6 percent of all fatalities.The suicide rate himself in protest against the corrupt ruler of his times.The in rural areas is three times higher than in the urban areas; that Dragon Boat Festival eventually developed as an occasion for is, 75 percent of deaths caused by suicide occur in rural China, the public to commemorate and honor this national hero. possibly a reflection of the gap in living standards between the A more typical and contemporary example is the case study poor inland regions and rich costal cities.The female suicide of a socially-isolated woman, treated as an outsider by her hus- rate is 25 percent higher than that of males,3 making China band’s family,who committed suicide after repeated beatings unique among countries that submit mortality statistics to the by her husband. In this case, suicide was adopted as a strategy WHO. Suicide is currently the number one killer of people in the woman’s unattainable life goal, to be accepted as a mem- aged 15–34 in China, accounting for 30 percent of deaths in ber of the family.It was also employed as revenge for her mis- this age range, and especially among young rural women.4 treatment and abuse by imposing guilt and regret on her Underlying trends are difficult to assess, given the lack of oppressors.2 In such a case, suicide becomes a powerful tool, published data prior to the 1990s, but a variety of sociocultu- not only for escape from immense stress, but also for protest ral factors have been proposed to explain the prevalence of sui- and revenge. cide among Chinese women. Some researchers believe the International statistics on suicide usually show higher rates higher suicide rate reflects the lower social, economic and for males than for females. China is the only country where educational status of women.5 In addition, violence against recorded statistics show a higher suicide rate for women. Many women and girls is pervasive in China, with countless daily quantitative studies have analyzed the gender disparity in sui- occurrences of domestic violence, sex-selective abortion, aban- cides among the Chinese population. Some researchers have donment of baby girls, female infanticide and trafficking of examined the issue from a public health angle, while others women and babies.A survey by the government-sponsored All percent that ofmenin1999. incomewas only 73 indicating that urbanfemale workers’ witharecent study exist.Women generally lessthanmen, earn Women ataChengdulabormarket notoriousfor theabductionofwomen andgirls.Photo:Sinopix at leastonceinthepastsixmonths. respondents admittedtohaving beenbeaten by theirpartners China Women’s Federation found that more than50percentof ate. 12.77 millionfewer girlsthananatural sexratio would gener- shows about outin2000, carried recent national census, China’sincreasing margin ofnewborn boys most over girls. acy rate increased inthe1990sfrom 68percentto71 investment long-term inferior for thefamily.The female illiter- whoare generally regarded asan larly togirls, detrimental increase by ineducation costsborne families hasbeenparticu- there are signsthat the Inaddition, low-wage employment. income gendergap mightbetheconcentration ofwomen in ral causes. female infanticide orotherunnatu- donment leadingtodeath, aban- from thepopulation by meansofsex-selective abortion, nally absent inthe2000censushave beengenuinely removed recently estimated that at leasttwo-thirds ofthegirlsnomi- However,by have experts China’s family planningpolice. den from official imposed statistics becauseoftherestrictions andsomeare believed tosimplythese behid- “missing girls,” Discrimination ineducation andemploymentDiscrimination continues to 7 It isdifficult toobtainreliable official data onthefate of 8 9 One possible explanation ofthe 6 Statistics alsoindicate an munist Party’s the mainnewspaper, intheCom- problem tobesolved inthefield ofpublic health” ance systeminthecountryside. particularly afterthecollapse ofthehealthinsur- to pay for it, tion between thequalityofmedicaltreatment andtheability haveSome researchers alsopointedoutanincreasing correla- abandoning for thecountryside higherpaidjobsinthecities. physically demandingfarm work asmenare increasingly ates are girls. be successful. maketryside itallthemore likely that attempted suicideswill government hasbegunconfronting theproblem by working percent, Official response Official season. especiallythefarming during available households, inrural Bothare readily very oftenby pesticidesorrat poison. ing, regard. womenpoverty, have beenmore negatively affected inthis andgiven thefeminization of services, including psychiatric financial resources are oftendeprivedofmedicaltreatment, Suicide hasmore recently gainedrecognition as “an urgent Rural women have pressure comeunderfurther totake up The mostcommonmethodemployed for suicideispoison- 13 10 Inadequate emergency medicalfacilities inthecoun- and anestimated 80percentofChina’s new illiter- 11 12 Rural residents who lack People’s Daily . 14 The Chinese

FUELING UNREST 27 CHINA RIGHTS FORUM NO. 1, 2005 with organizations and foreign experts to hammer out a issue in this important review of women’s human rights in national suicide prevention strategy. China suggests that the government lacks suicide intervention However, experts say the resources allocated fall far short of and prevention strategies that take gender factors into consid- what is needed.The country’s first suicide prevention centre, eration.The omission may also signal a retreat by the Chinese the Beijing Suicide Research and Prevention Centre, opened at authorities from their initial public acknowledgement of the the end of 2002,15 now operates a 24-hour national suicide problem of female suicide. hotline that gives immediate counseling services to 70 dis- tressed people a day.The Ministry of Culture has also pledged International obligations on women’s health to help relieve the current suicide rate by restricting access to Building on the definition of health in the WHO’s constitution, pesticides.16 However, these measures can hardly be expected the Beijing Platform for Action19 adopted at the United Nations to adequately address the needs of China’s 1.3 billion people. Fourth World Conference of Women in 1995 recognizes that: More critically,despite the statistical prevalence of suicide among women, and the particular vulnerability of women and “. . . health is a state of complete physical, mental and social young girls, China has yet to develop a gender-sensitive suicide well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infir- prevention program, even though a number of UN agencies, mity.Women’s health involves their emotional, social and including the United Nations Development Programme physical well-being and is determined by the social, political (UNDP) and the World Bank, have pointed out this deficiency.17 and economic context of their lives, as well as by biology.”20 It is particularly disappointing to note the lack of reference to the high female suicide rate in the Chinese government’s In other words, apart from biological factors that may lead response to a questionnaire by the UN Division for the to differences in the health status of women and men, societal Advancement of Women.18 This questionnaire is part of the factors may also be determinative, and can vary among women official review process for the implementation of the Beijing themselves.The Platform for Action acknowledges that all fac- Platform of Action agreed by 189 governments at the Fourth tors specifically affecting women’s health throughout their World Women’s Conference in 1995. Failure to mention the lives should be taken into consideration.The prevalence of poverty and economic dependence among women, their expe- rience of violence and discrimination, the limited power many women have over their lives, and their lack of influence in The Butterfly Lovers decision-making, are all sociocultural realities that can have an adverse impact on women’s health. (Liang Zhu) The Beijing Platform for Action also outlines the factors that adversely affect women’s mental health.These include sexual The story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai provides and gender-based violence, including physical and psycholog- an example of suicide used as last resort to protest and ical abuse, the growing incidence of domestic violence, traf- escape a reality that people feel powerless to change. ficking in and sexual exploitation of women and girls, Although fictional, the story and its enduring popularity marginalization, powerlessness and poverty,as well as over- reflect Chinese social attitudes toward suicide both at work and stress.21 that time and in the present. As one of the 189 governments that committed themselves Zhu Yingtai, a young lady eager to explore the world, to implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, China is was born to a rich but conservative family during East- obligated to achieve all the strategic objectives outlined in the ern Jin Dynasty (A.D. 317–420). Under the feudal sys- document by following the prescribed steps to be taken by tem, schools barred girls from admission.As a result, governments. Some of the obligations relating to the promo- Zhu and her maid had to disguise themselves as boys in tion of women’s mental health include: order for Zhu to receive an education. Zhu eventually • Adopting specific preventive measures to protect women met Liang Shanbo at school, and they became good from any abuse and eliminating violence against women, friends, eventually becoming lovers when Liang discov- sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and by recognizing these ered that Zhu was a girl. practices are violations of human rights and ethnical med- Zhu’s father had already arranged a marriage for his ical principles;22 daughter, and rejected the couple’s repeated entreaties • Integrating mental health services into primary health-care because Liang was not a rich or powerful man.The systems. Developing supportive programs and training pri- heart-broken Liang finally died of sorrow and illness. mary health workers to recognize and care for girls and Grief-stricken, Zhu visited Liang’s grave before her wed- women of all ages who have experienced any form of vio- ding.While she wept, the tomb suddenly opened, and lence especially domestic violence, sexual abuse or other Zhu jumped inside and ended her life in order to be abuses.23 with Liang forever.Afterwards a pair of butterflies In order to meet its obligations under the Beijing Platform emerged from the tomb, signifying that Liang and Zhu for Action, the Chinese government should not only refrain would never be parted again. from violating the rights of girls and women, but must take proactive steps to prevent, investigate and punish acts of vio- desperate act. confront theneedsofwomen whoare stillcontemplating this Platform for Action andCEDAW willfinally oblige Chinato Perhaps agreements international astheBeijing such in despair. hundreds ofthousandswomen whohave endedtheirlives toremember the itisimportant life for many Chinesepeople, decades hasundeniably resulted inavastly improved qualityof its highfemale suicidalrate. tunity torevisit thelimitedefforts Chinahasmadetoaddress may which provide anoppor- report, fifth andsixthperiodical intotheunderlyingresearch causesofsuicide. astheprovisionmeasures such and ofmentalhealthservices urgentlyernment address thefemale suiciderate through Itrequested that theChinesegov- women. suicide amongrural CEDAW over Committeeexpressed concern thehighrate of ically affecting thehealthofwomen. factors specif- socioeconomic andpsychosocial and biological, obligation toaddress distinctive features Action notesstates’ inreference which totheBeijingPlatform for 24, dation No. related tofamily planning.” including those accesstohealth-care services, and women, onabasisofequalitymen health care inordertoensure, to eliminateagainst discrimination women inthefield of requires that shalltake“State parties allappropriate measures which relating toCEDAW’s including 12, Article principles, Chinaisobliged toimplementandreportonpolicies tory, asigna- Women Chinaratified which in1980.As (CEDAW), tion ontheElimination of All Forms ofDiscrimination Against quate healthcare andinformation. affordable andade- throughout their life cycletoappropriate, Itshouldalsoensure women’sof women access andgirls. andtrafficking abandonment ormaltreatment ofgirlchildren, female infanticide, sex-selective abortion, domestic violence, lence against women actsinclude by private individuals.These .Statistics quotedinaChinesemagazine 3. themeaningofsuicidewomen “Rebellion andrevenge: Meng, Liu, 2. defines awell-know inwestern expert biomedicine, Shneidman, E.S. 1. .“Suicidebecomeslargest killerofyoung adultsinChina”, 4. While China’s rapid economicgrowth over thelasttwo The CEDAW Committeewillsoonbereviewing China’s In reviewing the theChinesegovernment’s lastsubmission, The CEDAW CommitteealsoadoptedGeneralRecommen- Another applicable agreement humanrights istheConven- America wan tiaoshengming) For thesake of280,000lives ayear tion: China”, in rural see Shneidman, For more explanation oftheconcept ofsuicideinwestern medicine, defines theactisperceived anissuefor asthebestsolution.’ which stood asamultidimensional malaiseinaneedfulindividualwho bestunder- suicide asa ‘conscious actofself-induced annihilation, eebr8 2004. December 8, women”suicidal rate amongstrural in sociocultural context”, review ofChina’sChina:A distinctive suicidedemographics intheir “Suicideincontemporary andBecker,Anne, Kleinman,Arthur, Jianlin, Arl2,2004. 20, ,April Definition ofsuicide International Journal ofSocial International Welfare ,20,Ise1,quoted by Issue11, 2004, ”, Harvard RevPsychiatry 24 e okWly 95 quotedinJi, New York:Wiley, 1985, , (Zhongguo Nongcunfunuizishalugao) 25 Banyuetan (Zisha ganyu:weile mei nian 28 (Zisha ganyu:weile Vl ,20,p.1. 2001, 9, ,Vol. Voice of America Vl 1 2002. 11, ,Vol. “Suicideinterven- , 26 Voice of “High , , 3 “AnantidotetoChina’s suicideepidemic”, 13. women andmental oneloses: “Goods onwhich Pearson,Veronica, 12. L., Ji, 11. 10. 4 “Suicideprevention centre opensinChina”, 14. 6 ConcludingCommentsonChina’s Third andFourth Periodic Reports, 26. on Women 20thsession, and 24, GeneralRecommendation No. 25. Convention ofElimination of All Forms ofDiscrimination Against 24. 106q para. Ibid., 23. 107a&q para. Ibid., 22. 99–100. para. Ibid., 21. 89. para. Ibid., 20. 19. 18. SeeUNDP, 17. for theyoung”, alarm “Suiciderate rings 16. Ibid. 15. .CiaIfrainNw,Fbur ,20,quotedin World 2000, Bank, February 2, ChinaInformation News, 9. inviolenceagainst “Dramatic rise women revealed innew study”, 6. .SeZa,S,Q . eg . n egT,“Thesexratio ofsuicide andPeng,T., Z., Peng, QuG., S., SeeZhao, 5. .Cai,Yong Esti- Numerical andLavely,William, “China’s MissingGirls: 8. .Dprmn fPplto,Sca,Scienceand Technology Social, Statistics, ofPopulation, Department 7. elhi hn” in health inChina”, quotedin supranote10. Tomasevski, 2001, Beijing, Sciences, Huridoca.nsf/(Symbol)/E.CN.4.2004.45.Add.1.En?Opendocument. Education Katarina, Tomasevski, at www.unesco.org/education/efa/wef/countryreports, quotedin Education for All:The Year Countryreport ofChina 2000 Assessment.Final gender review China:Country p.13–29. 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