China court rules sharing family disputes in chat is domestic violence after dad embarrasses son
Son seeks court order to stop father from posting harmful messages and harassing family members
A Chinese court issued a personal protection order to restrict a man’s behaviour after he repeatedly posted arguments with his wife in his son’s school chat groups.
The Shanghai Pudong New Area People’s Court took this action after determining that the father’s behaviour constituted domestic violence. This case was recently publicised, igniting heated online discussions.
The Shanghai man, surnamed Lin, had been estranged from his wife for an extended period. His son lived with his mother and had long been enduring the conflicts between his parents.
Since November last year, Lin had repeatedly used “extremely emotional and derogatory” language in communications within his son’s class chat group, the parents’ group, and a neighbourhood group.
In those messages, he accused his wife and parents-in-law of destroying their family and alienating his son from him.
As the messages circulated, Lin junior began to feel ashamed in front of his classmates, teachers, and neighbours.