He Xin

When Chinese couples divorce, why do women frequently lose the house and child custody? Why do judges often ignore women’s stories of domestic violence or other wrongs that have driven them to seek divorce? In his new book Divorce in China, Hong Kong University Law Professor He Xin says the answer lies in the intense pressure on judges to dispose of cases swiftly and avoid decisions that might trigger social backlash. That means frequently conforming to cultural biases against women, even when the law might support a more equitable outcome. Professor He will share his findings from observing more than 50 divorce trials and conducting interviews over more than a decade.