Police issuing warnings in domestic violence cases could use video and audio recordings, text messages, testimony from children or neighbours, and medical records as evidence, Chinese authorities said in new national guidelines.
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The guidelines were recently issued by nine government agencies – including the Ministry of Public Security, the Supreme Court and the All-China Women’s Federation – and regulate the procedures and measures that could be taken in a police warning system, the official People’s Daily reported on Monday.
They were issued eight years after the Anti-Domestic Violence Law came into effect.
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In domestic violence cases, police can use testimony from the perpetrators and victims if there is no disagreement. However, if the accused abuser disputes the allegations, officers could collect medical records, phone messages or any previously written words from the perpetrator as evidence, the report said.
The guidelines set out the specific circumstances for issuing a police warning, the content of the warning letter and procedures to be followed.
In addition, a mechanism will be built for multiple government agencies to work together and help victims. Residential committees and local women’s federations should also cooperate with the police on family visits, it said.
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The complete set of guidelines has not yet been made public.
Feng Yuan, director of the Beijing-based women’s rights organisation Weiping, said the high-level specific operative guideline from multiple departments had a positive effect.