ZHENGJIAMEN, Hubei, China, -- ChinaAid published yesterday a story from the Southern Metropolis Daily reporting on the "induced miscarriage" of Hu Xia, who was seven-month's pregnant with her second child. (Link to report) Local officials in Shangche township, Jianli county of Hubei province, claimed that Hu Xia's family could not pay the fine and described the abortion as "voluntary."
China's family planning agencies have received negative publicity over the past several months, as cyber-journalists and Chinese families have challenged the brutality of the "one-child policy." ChinaAid broke stories about recent forced abortion cases in Hunan and Shaanxi provinces that spurred outrage and debate both outside and inside of China. (Link to story) In the case from Hunan, Cao Ruyi was able to keep her child after local officials were faced with unwanted media attention (Link to story). The Hu Xia case is the latest case to appear in the Chinese press.
"Another life was lost unnecessarily to advance China's 'one-child' policy, which cannot be sustained without violence and coercion," said Bob Fu, ChinaAid's President. Forced abortions are not a choice but violence against women and their unborn children." "International attention can help save some women from violence in the short-term, but consistent international condemnation is needed to help convince Beijing that this policy makes a rising China look barbaric and backward."
Chinese human rights defenders, cyber-journalists, and families faced with "voluntary" forced abortions are increasingly challenging a hated policy, both because it leads to violence against women and because it is creating a two-tier baby system, rich families who can bride or pay huge fines for a having a second child and poor families who cannot. China has the highest suicide rate in the world among women, a fact many believe may be linked to strict enforcement of the one-child policy.
