China’s one-child only policy, implemented in 1979 to curb a population explosion, continues to hurt girls and women in predictably tragic ways.
In addition to women being forced to have abortions and get sterilized, reports are now out that families in the countryside are losing little girls as young as two years old to kidnappers. They then sell them to farmers who want their small sons to eventually have wives in a country where boys outnumber girls at alarming rates.
Largely due to sex-selective abortions in a culture where boys are prized over girls, there are about 124 boys for every 100 girls in the country as a whole, according to the British Medical Journal. In one province, the number is as high as 192.
Although Chinese officials have admitted they need to end the one-child only policy because it is creating a demographic timebomb, the bomb seems to have already begun to explode.
Graeme Black
Paul Smith
Nike
Interestingly, if you compare the stats in that article with those of the Center for Missing and Exploited Children in the US, China has a lower kidnapping rate (as a percentage of population) than the United States.
The one-child policy is not going anywhere for the time being, because it is too important to the very necessary project of population control in China. And contrary to what the Times Online has to say, it actually has a lot of support in China. This is a hugely complicated issue, and one that is rarely covered well in the western press.
1just yesterday my 10 year old told my 8 year old "people who live in china aren't free". it seemed a bit harsh at the time, and i hadn't really thought of it that way before she said that, but it's true.
we take a lot for granted here in the US, but freedom of information and of reproduction are basic rights for american's. look at the way the government blocks coverage for today's anniversary on TV. it's shocking to me.
2How saddening.
3wow, interesting stat, mermei.
its at least more understandable why they do it there, whether for greed or depseration (since the child is worth money to the new family)
the reasons it happens in the west are much more difficult to understand
i haven't met many chinese immigrants who really hate the 1 child policy either, and most urbanites are not really affected by it. i imagine some of the rural population will not adapt for a very long time. if you want a second child you just have to pay a fine and his school/other costs normally covered by the govt, but the ammount is steep unless you are rich.
4Hum and whose fault is it? They need to stop reproduce so fast. And wait for a population decrease. Stop being so selective and only wanting boys.Being a girl is not socially acceptable? But kidnapping one so your son can f.... her is? Wow
5I've actually heard this years ago, it's been a problem for some time. Very sad.
6My family was once close with a Chinese immigrant family that was desperately trying to outrun the Chinese government when they had their second child- a baby girl. Snowysakuras, just because you've never met someone in this situation, doesn't mean that it doesn't happen.
7So you are saying that due to the population situation in China, it is "okay" that things like this happen? Or that women are forced to abort their late-term childen, against their will? Or forced to be steralized?
Are you for choice?
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