Why is China’s registered rate of rape cases so low?

Although victims of sex crimes suffer both physically and psychologically, they could suffer even more if others know they have been raped. This stigma prevents many victims from seeking justice.

Given the social pressures they face, some victims of sexual assault are unwilling to report the crime to the police. Since sex crimes usually happen in hidden places and involve only the offender and the victim, it is hard for the police to find the truth if victims do not report the crimes to the police.

More importantly, China’s current law is quite porous in terms of the registration of rape cases. For example, same-gender rape is not stipulated in the law, so is not considered a crime. Meanwhile, marital rape is also not viewed as a crime.

Those legal loopholes have led to many sexual assault cases going unregistered by the police.