Wondering about the power grab.

It has been pointed out to me on a number of occasions that Chinese males seem to be big purveyors of the "power grab," seizing their female companions by their arm at a the elbow. As you can imagine, being held at this point is both annoying and affects one's mobility.

On the way to this computer lab I witnessed two men practice not only a power grab but also force their companions to a wall or fence in a very quiet but intense power struggle. The men would be firm and forceful and the girls resistant but ultimately giving up with a forced smile.

And so I thought: What sort of domestic abuse issues plague China?

A China daily article reports that 30% of families (80 million) have reported domestic violence, and that 100,000 divorces a year stem from this issue.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2007-08/02/content_5447324.htm
Current laws stress equality in marriage and at home and strictly prohibit things such forcing one into prostitution or to commit infanticide upon newborn girls, but seem to step around dealing with domestic violence.
http://www.women.org.cn/english/english/laws/02.htm
Despite being legally and rhetorically equal in Chinese society, women hold less cadre and university positions than men, make up only 41% of the university enrollment, and are much more likely to be illiterate:
http://www.women.org.cn/english/english/fact/mulu.htm
Percent(%) Illiterate - 1999
Total 15
Male 9
Female 22

From another recent article:

"In Shenzhen, South China, 26 people have died resulting from domestic abuse in the first half of this year -- 13 percent of deaths -- occurring in all criminal cases.
In the past two years, the federation has received about 50,000 complaints of domestic violence, up 70 percent, the deputy chairman of the federation, Mo Wenxiu, was quoted as saying by the Xinhua News Agency."
http://www.newsgd.com/news/China1/200503050029.htm

It's so easy to be a visitor here and not see this as an issue at all. The subtleness of the little battles so common on the streets here are almost imperceptable to the untrained eye. Yet like many things in China, the serious non-cutsy halfs of most things that are discussed or acted out upon go on behind closed doors.