'The world has abandoned me': Chinese women married into slavery?

On 17 February, the Jiangsu provincial government resolved to investigate the Feng county case of a woman found chained by the neck. However, after one week, the investigation seems to be losing steam as numerous posts about the investigation have been deleted one after the other. It is highly likely that the glimmer of hope of justice being done will turn out to be a huge disappointment. (NB: Jiangsu officials announced on 23 February that the chained woman has been identified as "Xiaohuamei", a victim of human trafficking. 17 public officials including the party secretary and governor of the county were sacked and punished.)

Some people regard the Feng county case as an isolated incident, indicating that these are rare occurrences in certain rural areas of China. People with this detached attitude may be shocked to hear of the severity of human trafficking in Xuzhou, Jiangsu province.

As estimated by netizens, about 50,000 people were trafficked to Xuzhou from 1986 to 1989, meaning that about 44 women were abducted daily. This suggests that the local government of Xuzhou tolerated such crimes against humanity, namely by helping to issue marriage certificates. In this sense, human trafficking was legitimised through marriage.

Billions of netizens are furious about the Feng county case because it indicates a great threat to personal safety. It is unimaginable that women are treated as animals in the 21st century when China claims to be the second most powerful country in the world.

Actually, anyone can be a victim of human trafficking. According to missing persons websites in China, women of various backgrounds have disappeared. Among them are teenagers, children, and even babies, whether from the rural or urban areas. There are also migrant workers, teachers or professors, graduate students, etc.

Two fates await them: either being murdered or another "Ms Chained of Feng county". Two fates are also awaiting us: being treated as humans or livestock.

The helplessness that the victims feel stems from the fact that there is no effective way to seek help. Ms Chained of Feng county was found by accident and attracted national attention. But until now, we have not heard any news from her. Some netizens are even worried about her safety. Despite the local governments claiming that she was insane and sent to the hospital, I still remember her words in the video: "This world has abandoned me."

Netizen's remarks, no matter if they are harsh criticism or reasonable concerns, continue to be deleted in the name of the law. The Feng county case is not a gender issue, but a war to protect human rights. I have taken screenshots of some popular posts from Chinese netizens and translated them into English for your reference. The posts can be deleted from social media in China, but cannot be erased from people's minds.

当女性想要冲破世俗的一些桎梏，当她想要打破一些性别偏见，当她想要拥有完整的子宫自由，当她想拥有一些相对完整平等的权力，那条"铁链"就会隐隐出现，哗啦啦作响。

When a woman wants to break free of the shackles of the secular world, when she wants to break some gender prejudices, when she wants to have complete freedom in giving birth, when she wants to have some semblance of complete and equal power and rights, the "iron chain" will appear and clatter loudly.

我们不仅要关心金牌挂在了哪个女孩的脖子，更要关心铁链锁住了哪个女人的脖子。站出来为丰县八孩女发声，不是蹭热度，而是源于内心未冷却的良知。

We should not only care about which girl's neck the gold medal is hanging on, but also which woman's neck is locked by an iron chain. To stand up and speak for Ms Chained of Feng country with eight children is not making a fuss for the sake of it, but because we still have a conscience.

要知道，那个被铁链锁住的女子，可能是任何一个幸福家庭里，曾被父母捧在掌心里的女孩。在某个飘雪的冬日，她莫名消逝于茫茫人海中，就再也找不到回家的路。为了她能找到回家的路，你和我都不该对她形同陌路。

One must know that the woman in chains could be the girl from any happy family who was once held in the palm of her parents' hands. On a snowy winter's day, she inexplicably disappeared in the vast sea of people and could not find her way back. To help her find her way home, neither you nor I should be strangers to her.

小花梅事件像一道闪电，照出人性的幽暗，也照亮我们的内心，让大家明白个体原本是如此弱小。这种弱小感让人们感到恐惧，因为这种事可能续发生，每个普通人距离小花梅的命运可能并不遥远。

The Xiaohuamei incident is like a flash of lightning that not only reflects the darkness of human nature, but shines a light on our hearts and makes us understand that individuals are so weak. This powerlessness makes people feel afraid, because such human trafficking may continue, and everyone may not be far from the fate of Xiaohuamei.

如果社会对丰县铁链女熟视无睹，让她的哭诉与呼喊消失于旷野之中；如果我们容忍这样的突破底线之恶与我们共存于这一世界，而朴素的正义被按在地上摩擦，我们社会好不容易构建的法治意识和秩序感就岌岌可危。

If society turns a blind eye to the iron-chained girl in Feng county, let her cries and shouts disappear in the wilderness; If we tolerate such evil that breaks our bottom line and coexists with us in this world, and simple justice is stubbed out below our feet, the rule of law and sense of order that our society has managed to build are in jeopardy.

我们不是旁观者，而是幸存者。不是我们解救了铁链女，而是铁链女解救了我们。

We are not bystanders but lucky survivors. It is not us that have saved the chained girl but she who has saved us.

面对铁链女，沉默不是有用的自卫武器，恰恰可能是自掘坟墓的工具。这次事件后，我拉黑了一些朋友圈的人，退出了一些毫无温情的群，他们事不关己、置若罔闻的冷漠让我寒心。

In the face of chained women, silence is not a useful weapon for self-defence. In fact, it could be a tool for self-destruction. After this incident, I blocked some people on WeChat and withdrew from some groups. Their indifference made me sad.

今天你不为正义站岗，明天就得为邪恶陪葬。

If you don't stand guard for justice today, you will have to be buried with evil tomorrow.

你尽可以犬儒，可以躺平，可以作壁上观当看客，但你至少应该心里明白，你之所以可以这样，不是因为你多精致，多高明，而仅仅是你运气好，水还没有漫到你的脖子你仍然可以待在你的桶子里岁月静好。

You can be cynical, you can lie flat, you can sit on the fence and watch as a spectator, but at least you should know in your heart that you can do this not because of how exquisite and clever you are, but just because you are lucky. You can still squat in your bucket before the water reaches your neck.

有人说，"家开不可外扬"。这个的确是中国几千年来的一种观点，但是也要分清楚"家丑"的情况，这个"家丑"是必须要外扬的，不能再捂着盖着。这个铁链女不解救，可能更多的人会成为铁链女。

Some people say "domestic shame should not be made public". This is indeed a view held in China for thousands of years, but we should also distinguish different situations under "domestic shame". The domestic shame of Feng county must be publicised and can no longer be covered up. If this chained woman is not rescued, more people may become chained women.

如果面对不公和罪恶，你选择明哲保身，那就是把这一切留给孩子与未来。

If you choose to protect yourself in the face of injustice and sin, this is leaving the problem to your children and the future.

Reading all these inspiring lines, I hope my fellow citizens remember the lyrics of our national anthem: "起来，不愿做奴隶的人们，把我们的血肉筑成新的长城! (Arise! / All who refuse to be slaves. / With our flesh and blood, let's build our new Great Wall!)" Let's not become the new slaves of our time.

Related: Chained mother of eight brings attention to abduction and sale of women in rural China | Was the Tang dynasty the golden era of women's rights in China? | Rape accusations in China: When wives protect their errant husbands | Death of a Peking University girl: Virginity matters in modern China