JC Master Updates | Attorney Li Xiuhua of JC Master Attended the 9th Forum on Theory and Practice of Family Litigation Procedures

On April 19, 2026, Attorney Li Xiuhua, Director of the Center for Marriage, Family, and Wealth Management at JC Master Law Office, Professor at the School of Law of Yangzhou University, and Executive Council Member of the Marriage and Family Law Research Association of the China Law Society, attended the Ninth Forum on Theory and Practice of Family Litigation Procedures, hosted by the Civil Procedure Law Research Association of the China Law Society and co-organized by the School of Law of Nanjing Normal University and the School of Law of Renmin University of China. She delivered a keynote report titled “A Study on Pathways for Preventing and Addressing Domestic Violence from a Multidimensional Perspective.” The Supreme People’s Court has emphasized that “domestic violence is not a family matter but a matter of state,” a principle that marks the deepening institutionalization of anti‑domestic‑violence efforts, underscores the state’s unwavering zero‑tolerance stance toward domestic violence, and reinforces the critical leadership role played by scholars, judges, and lawyers in preventing and curbing such violence.

I. The Anti-Domestic Violence Law: Ten Years of Achievements Coexisting with Four Major Challenges
 

Over the past decade, China has achieved remarkable progress in both legislation and practice to combat domestic violence. The enactment of the Anti‑Domestic Violence Law, the refinement of the marriage and family provisions in the Civil Code, and the establishment of the personal safety protection order system have together woven a legal safeguard network spanning civil, criminal, and administrative spheres. Nevertheless, attorney Li Xiuhua squarely identifies the core challenges in defining domestic violence: the fourfold barriers of “difficulty in detection, difficulty in gathering evidence, difficulty in establishing facts, and difficulty in enforcement” continue to stand between victims and justice. From the “Lamu tragedy” of 2016, which sent shockwaves through society, to recent judicial cases involving verbal abuse and economic control, each instance calls into question the effectiveness of institutional implementation. Li Xiuhua argues that only by dismantling the conventional notion that “only physical violence counts as domestic abuse” can individuals and families hope to live free from harm. Article 107 of the Civil Code Although Articles 9 and 1091 have already incorporated domestic violence into the legal framework, their effective implementation in judicial practice still requires targeted efforts to transform abstract rights on paper into a genuine shield for victims. Professor Li Xiuhua emphasized: “The warmth and power of the law lie not in what the statutes say, but in whether victims can truly grasp the key to their own protection.”
 

II. Full-Chain Governance: From Reactive Response to a Systemic Closed Loop
 

In response to pressing challenges, Attorney Li Xiuhua has proposed a forward-looking, practice-oriented, end-to-end governance framework—“Prevention–Intervention–Remedy–Restoration–Rehabilitation–Technology Empowerment.” These six components are not merely arranged in a linear sequence; rather, they form an interconnected, dynamically feedback‑driven closed-loop system.

During the prevention phase, Attorney Li Xiuhua emphasizes universal education and upstream intervention, stressing the need to strengthen systematic training for staff in schools, communities, and judicial institutions. In the intervention phase, personal safety protection orders and warning letters serve as core tools, but they must be accompanied by rapid response mechanisms and enforcement‑monitoring measures. At the relief stage, Attorney Li Xiuhua advances a thought‑provoking perspective: she believes that the Supreme People’s Court’s innovative victim‑assistance model is highly effective in curbing domestic violence. She argues, “Only by giving equal weight to stopping violence and supporting employment can victims truly emerge from the shadow of economic dependency.” Without economic independence, even after leaving their abuser, victims may feel compelled to return to a home rife with domestic violence due to survival pressures. The repair and rehabilitation phases are equally critical and should not be overlooked. Li Xiuhua points out that domestic violence is not merely a legal issue; it is also a psychological and social one. Victims require psychological healing, while perpetrators need behavioral correction, and the rebuilding of family relationships must proceed cautiously, under conditions of safety. Attorney Li Xiuhua further notes that a high‑risk domestic‑violence assessment scale—covering nine key red flags, including threats of homicide, extreme control, and suicidal threats—provides grassroots practitioners with a practical, tiered management tool. Multi‑agency collaboration and a tiered intervention strategy together form a comprehensive closed loop, spanning from individual case management to systemic governance.
 

III. Technology Empowerment: Making Technology the “Third Eye” in Combating Domestic Violence
 

In today’s era, as the digital wave sweeps across all sectors, Li Xiuhua has turned her attention to the cutting edge of technology-driven empowerment. She emphasizes that relevant authorities can leverage… AI-based speech emotion recognition Advanced technologies such as video‑based behavioral analysis enable early detection of latent domestic violence risks and automated early warnings. Meanwhile, intelligent document‑generation and similar‑case retrieval systems help judges standardize adjudication criteria and enhance case‑handling efficiency. Even more groundbreaking, Li Xiuhua proposes establishing a big‑data sharing platform for combating domestic violence that integrates public security agencies, courts, women’s federations, and other relevant departments, breaking down long‑standing information silos and enabling automated case routing and end-to‑end tracking. “By leveraging smart governance to dismantle information islands, we can turn technology into a ‘third eye’ in the fight against domestic violence.” This vision transforms the traditional, passive “man‑to‑man” monitoring approach into a new, data‑driven, proactive‑early‑warning paradigm of smart governance.
 

IV. From Proposal to Practice: The Power of That Beam of Light
 

The value of theory lies in guiding practice. Li Xiuhua, who served for many years as a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, transformed her extensive research on domestic violence into concrete CPPCC proposals. In 2015, she received special recognition from the Central Committee of the Revolutionary Committee of the Kuomintang, and in 2016 she was appointed a legislative expert on the marriage and family section of the Civil Code by the China Law Society, actively participating in and advancing the national legislative process. As early as 2010, a CPPCC proposal she put forward on personal safety protection orders was adopted by the courts. That same year, a particular court proactively implemented a case‑specific personal safety protection order—an initiative that predated the formal enactment of the Anti‑Domestic Violence Law in 2016 by a full six years. “Only when light enters can victims see hope,” says Li Xiuhua, whose work demonstrates that every legal professional can become that very light. From ideas to action, from individuals to systemic change, and from protecting individual cases to shaping social governance—efforts to address domestic violence are breaking the deadlock. “Say no to domestic violence; let love return home” is not merely a gentle slogan—it is a profound transformation that requires the concerted participation of law, technology, and society. When there is enough light, darkness has nowhere to hide.