Tieying Hospital is the first and only hospital dealing
specifically with domestic violence in China, however, now it finds
itself in difficulties. About 50 percent of the women patients
can't afford their medical fees. Sometimes the doctors not only
have to pay medical fees for these patients themselves, but have to
help them find jobs. Some violent husbands believe that doctors
interfere with their family matters if doctors help the wives.
These angry husbands even sometimes go after the doctors. The
problem highlights the gaps in government healthcare
expenditure.
Hospital abides big economic pressure
Tieying Hospital has been a focus of the media since it was
opened three years ago. The hospital acts also as a shelter for
Beijing's victims of domestic violence. Some women victims from
Yunnan, Sichuan and Gansu provinces turn to the hospital.
Relevant statistics show that "economic sanctions" is the fourth
domestic violence besides physical, psychological and sexual
violence.
According to Ms. Cai Xiaomei from Tieying Hospital, the hospital
has rescued more than 300 female victims. Because of "economic
sanctions" from violent husbands, over half of female victims pay
little or nothing toward medical fees. The hospital is as a result
under huge financial pressure.
Most women victims wish the hospital staff not only provide
medical treatment, but also provide legal aid, even to help them
find new jobs and new places to live. Doctors sometimes give their
own money to these victims, but can't provide more. Many of the
victims will often go back to their husbands for economic reasons,
so domestic violence just never ends in their families.
Medical records provide evidence in court
In Tieying Hospital doctors use a different kind of medical record
with green wording. Both sides of the medical records are printed
with pictures of the human body. Doctors mark the locations of
injuries on the pictures. Doctors also write patients' injury
history, the way the harm was caused, the patients' situation and
safety evaluation, and the help that doctors can provide patients
with in the medical records. Importantly, the situation of the
domestic violence abuser should be written on the back of the
medical record.
According to statistics from the All-China
Women's Federation, about 90 percent of domestic violence cases
can't be affirmed due to a lack of evidence. Domestic violence
always happens between couples. It is difficult to find an
eyewitness. However, it is very easy for doctors to tell whether
the patients were beaten by others. Now, the special medical
records from Tieying Hospital will be used as evidence in court.
For example, a local court in Beijing judged a divorce case
according to the wife's medical records. The wife who withstood a
long period of violent abuse easily divorced her husband and got
compensation from him thanks to this process of collecting the
details of the victim's injuries and history of injury.
Doctors receive intimidation calls
According to doctors from Tieying Hospital, most of the domestic
violence victims, who receive medical treatment in Tieying
Hospital, suffer from eardrum perforation. Some victims also suffer
from cuts, osteoclasis or deformity due to bone breaking and
internal damage. For example, a wife who had a master degree was
beaten up by her PhD husband with their laptop.
Experienced doctors could easily identify domestic violence
victims from other patients by their scared expressions. They don't
let these victims go back home unless they make sure that they are
safe. Before the victims leave hospital, the doctors will give them
a card on which is printed hotlines for China's women's
federations, legal aid service centers and organizations against
domestic violence. The cards also print ways victims can protect
themselves and help themselves. For example, victims must come to
hospital to get proper medical treatment and leave evidence on
record.
The victims should let their trusted friends or family members
know that they are dealing with violence. When facing it, victims
should try their best to make sure that neighbors can hear their
calls for help. They also should prepare a bag and put some money,
important documents, medicines, and keys for future need and
possible escape. Doctors will also urge again and again that their
patients hide the cards carefully. Doctors worry about their
patients being beaten again if the violent abuser finds the
cards.
Many domestic violence abusers believe that beating their wives
is their own family matter, and doctors interfere with family
matters if doctors ask their wives how they were injured. Recently,
doctors from Tieying Hospital often receive intimidation calls and
are even harassed. Doctors say it is very hard for them to help
these women victims.
(China.org.cn by Wu Nanlan and Daragh Moller November 26,
2003)