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Politicising Han-Chinese Masculinities: A Plea for Court-Mandated Counselling for Wife Abuser in Hong Kong

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Abstract

As the figures for wife abuse cases in Hong Kong continue to rise, the author questions the effectiveness of current law in controlling domestic violence. It is argued that the present law, which punishes abusers by putting them into jail, can neither change their violent behavior nor repair the personal/familial relationships of the parties involved. It is within this context that the author proposes the adoption in Hong Kong of ``court-mandated counseling'', a scheme that has been practiced not only in the United States, but also in Mainland China, and Taiwan. It is, however, noted that such a counseling programme must be sensitive to the gendered legal politics and the local cultural discourse, as, otherwise, the scheme will operate to (re-)strengthen both the male dominating structure and the postcolonial hegemony.

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  1. School of Law, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong

    Man Chung Chiu

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Chiu, M.C. Politicising Han-Chinese Masculinities: A Plea for Court-Mandated Counselling for Wife Abuser in Hong Kong. Feminist Legal Studies 9, 3–27 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016613232159

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