School Violence and Intimidation: A Chinese Student's Ongoing Trauma

In a disturbing turn of events that has captured national attention in China, a young victim of school violence now faces further intimidation. The incident involves a 6-year-old girl in Shaoguan, Guangdong Province, who had barely recovered from severe burns inflicted by a sixth-grade student who poured boiling water over her head at school.

The initial assault occurred on September 29th when the girl went to get water during class. After finding the water too hot, she planned to dispose of it when an older male student offered to help. Instead of assisting, he deliberately poured the scalding water over her, causing second-degree burns to her face, chest, and thighs.

While the physical wounds were still healing, a more sinister development emerged. Upon returning to school, the girl discovered a threatening note hidden in her schoolbag’s compartment. Written in black marker, the message warned: “If you dare post more videos about your daughter seeking justice, your entire family will suffer consequences.”

The girl’s father, Mr. Qiu, immediately reported the threat to police. In an emotional response, he posted his divorce certificate online and publicly challenged those behind the threats to face him directly, stating he would cease pursuing the case if they could “defeat him in a man’s fight.”

The case highlights several systemic issues in addressing school violence in China:

1. Legal limitations: The original perpetrator, being under 14, faced no criminal charges due to age restrictions in Chinese law.

2. Institutional response: The local education bureau initially dismissed the scalding incident as merely a “malicious prank.”

3. Compensation without accountability: While the family received 320,000 yuan in compensation, the underlying issues of student safety and accountability remain unaddressed.

4. Intimidation tactics: The threatening note reveals how victims seeking justice can face further harassment and intimidation.

Law enforcement officials have collected fingerprints from the threatening note and launched an investigation. Both Ruyuan County and Shaoguan City police departments are involved in the case.

This incident raises critical questions about the effectiveness of current legal frameworks in protecting minors and preventing school violence. It also demonstrates how victims' families can face pressure and threats when seeking justice, potentially deterring others from coming forward in similar situations.

The case has sparked renewed calls for reform in how China handles juvenile offenses and school violence, with many arguing that the current system’s leniency toward underage offenders may inadvertently encourage such behavior.