Abstract：As the logical starting point for public authority intervention, the definition of domestic violence (the “definition”) determines the scope of application of anti-domestic violence laws. The United Nations’ legislative framework on anti-domestic violence along with the legislation of many countries and regions have seen a trend of continuous expansion of the definition and increasing concretization of its content. China’s Anti-domestic Violence Law extends the subjects of domestic violence from family members to “co-habitants other than family members”. The Anti-domestic Violence Law also broadens the range of domestic violence acts, no longer requiring a “certain degree of harm” as a prerequisite, and includes examples of psychological abuse, further specifying the definition. Such refinement in the Anti-domestic Violence Law aligns with the global trend in the development of the definition. However, the Anti-domestic Violence Law still has inadequacies regarding the definition, including the limited scope of subjects and ambiguous connotation for domestic violence, and inadequate enumeration of ways and types of domestic violence acts etc., which seem to have hindered the anti-domestic violence efforts in practice. Since the implementation of the Anti-domestic Violence Law, the range of subjects of domestic violence has been extended. In the judicial arena, some judges have provided protection under the existing legal framework for former spouses and former cohabiting partners who have suffered breakup violence, by expanding the interpretation of “co-habitants other than family members”, issuing personality rights injunctions, and granting personal safety protection orders for minors who have witnessed the domestic violence. From the legislative perspective, the 2022 amendment to the Law on the Protection of Rights and Interests of Women and local regulations on anti-domestic violence in some provinces have included dating violence and breakup violence under regulation. Some local regulations stipulate that minors who have witnessed the domestic violence are also the victims of domestic violence. In addition, the conceptualization of domestic violence has become more concrete. The Provisions of the Supreme People’s Court on Several Issues Concerning the Application of Law in Handling Cases involving Personal Safety Protection Orders, the Opinions on Strengthening the Implementation of the Domestic Violence Admonition System, several local anti-domestic violence regulations, as well as typical cases released by courts and women’s federations at all levels, have not only clarified the definition of “co-habitants other than family members”, but also expanded the enumeration of specific forms of physical and psychological violence. Furthermore, they have included provisions on sexual violence, economic control, domestic violence through acts of omission, as well as domestic violence perpetrated via online means and new media platforms. To some extent, these legislative and judicial expansions and concretizations of the definition of domestic violence have addressed the practical needs while also highlighting the limitations of the domestic violence definition under China’s Anti-domestic Violence Law. Refining the definition of domestic violence is not only an inherent requirement for China to advance its anti-domestic violence efforts and expand the application scope of the Anti-domestic Violence Law, but also a necessary response to the concerns raised by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. Specifically, the subjects of domestic violence should be extended to include individuals who have or have had intimate relationships, without requiring cohabitation as a prerequisite. Cohabitation should be explicitly defined as relationships where “co-habitants other than family members”. The acts of domestic violence should be further spelled out. In addition to naming sexual violence and economic control as distinct types, illustrative examples of various forms of domestic violence should be added, such as minors witnessing domestic violence, forced sexual behavior, excessive control of or deprivation of property.
但淑华. 家庭暴力概念的扩展与具象化[J]. 浙江大学学报(人文社会科学版), 2025, 55(4): 132-144.
Dan Shuhua. Expansion and Concretization of the Definition of Domestic Violence. JOURNAL OF ZHEJIANG UNIVERSITY, 2025, 55(4): 132-144.
1 林建军：《家庭暴力的概念界定及其展开》，《辽宁师范大学学报（社会科学版）》2017年第1期，第8-12页。 2 联合国消除对妇女歧视委员会：《关于中国第九次定期报告的结论性意见》，2023年5月31日，https：//docs.un.org/zh/CEDAW/C/CHN/CO/9，2024年1月7日。 3 夏吟兰：《家庭暴力概念中的主体范围分析》，《妇女研究论丛》2014年第5期，第49-51页。 4 Home Office， AVA， “Information for local areas on the change to the definition of domestic violence and abuse，” 2023-03-18， https：//assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7a0c16ed915d6d99f5cc44/guide-on-definition-of-dv.pdf， 2023-11-01. 5 Rathus Z.， “Shifting language and meanings between social science and the law： defining family violence，” UNSW Law Journal， Vol. 36， No. 2 （2013）， pp. 359-389. 6 国务院法制办：《关于〈中华人民共和国反家庭暴力法（草案）〉的说明》，2015年9月8日，http：//www.npc.gov.cn/zgrdw/npc/lfzt/rlyw/2015-09/08/content_1946279.htm，2024年1月5日。 7 但淑华：《〈反家庭暴力法〉有必要规制同居暴力》，《中国社会科学报》2015年1月21日，第A07版。 8 林建军：《人身安全保护令的性质与内容》，《法律适用》2022年第7期，第34-42页。 9 任然、李伶俐：《前夫施暴前妻 重庆江津区法院发出首份人格权侵害禁令》，《中国妇女报》2021年3月31日，第5版。 10 日］富井政章：《民法原论》第一卷，陈海瀛、陈海超译，北京：中国政法大学出版社，2003年。 11 顾培东：《我国成文法体制下不同属性判例的功能定位》，《中国法学》2021年第4期，第5-24页。 12 吴奕风：《论作为家庭暴力独立形态的经济控制》，《上海政法学院学报（法治论丛）》2016年第6期，第79-85页。 13 阚珂：《反家暴立法调研在女子监狱》，《法制日报》2016年1月5日，第010版。 14 美］谢丽斯·克拉马雷、［澳］戴尔·斯彭德：《路特里奇国际妇女百科全书（精选本）》上卷，“国际妇女百科全书”课题组译，北京：高等教育出版社，2007年。 15 Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic， “Project enhanced safety： risk assessment framework in family court，” 2021-04-30， https：//schliferclinic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/PROJECT-ENHANCED-SAFETYFINAL2021.pdf， 2025-04-12. 16 李明舜主编：《公权力干预家庭暴力的适度性研究》，北京：法律出版社，2021年。 17 香港特别行政区立法会：《立法会参考资料摘要：〈家庭暴力条例〉（第189章）》，2009年6月3日，https：//www.legco.gov.hk/yr08-09/chinese/bills/brief/b16_brf.pdf，2024年1月12日。 18 赵树坤、胡艾雄：《中国“反家庭暴力”话语实践变迁及其逻辑》，《求是学刊》2022年第6期，第94-104页。 19 李春斌：《论性暴力是家庭暴力的行为类型——以〈反家庭暴力法（草案）〉为例》，《妇女研究论丛》2015年第5期，第56-63页。 20 黄淑怡：《开不出验伤单的家庭暴力之经济暴力》，《妇研纵横》2018年第108期，第30-37页。 21 Geffner R. A.， Jaffe P. G. & Sudermann M.， Children Exposed to Domestic Violence： Current Issues in Research， Intervention， Prevention and Policy Development， New York： The Haworth Press， 2000.
2025, Vol. 55 
