Two high-profile controversies surrounding the mistreatment of women by famous Chinese men in the past week have ignited heated debate online, splitting public opinion and placing a spotlight on gender inequality in China.
Jiang Jinfu, a pin-up model turned leading man in movies and TV dramas, on Tuesday admitted to committing domestic violence, and apologized to his Japanese girlfriend Haruka Nakaura and her family for hurting them with his “impulsive behavior.”
“Whatever the reason, I should never have raised my hand,” the 27-year-old actor wrote to his more than 17 million followers on Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter. “I’m ashamed of my action and won’t defend it in any way. I stand to bear the consequences for my behavior and accept the punishment.”
The confession and repentance from Jiang, who was studying in Japan before the story broke, came after Nakaura posted pictures of her badly bruised face and body on Instagram, which quickly went viral in China after being reposted on numerous Chinese social media platforms.
Her original caption read: “I’ve recently made those who care about me worried — but I’m alive. Jiang Jinfu’s disappearance is indeed related to me but I can’t say more at the request of my lawyer and the investigators.” Read more
