At the forum, experts, officials and social workers from the Chinese mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao shared their research and experiences in the field.

Li said there are many inadequacies in the current legal system in regard to domestic violence. Under the current system, domestic violence is not clearly defined and most items on the laws and regulations are declarative slogans and lack room for interpretation and procedures for enforcement.

A condemnation of domestic violence was first written into the Marriage Law in 2001 and then in the Minor Protection Law, as well as in the local regulations of 28 provinces and municipalities, she said.

Huang Qiao, a social worker in Shenzhen's Luohu district who has worked for three years helping female victims of domestic violence, said she has found domestic violence is spreading among people with higher education.

"Some of those with a college degree tend to behave more radically, and sometimes they have strong desire to control. They believe they have the right to hit their wives," she said. "People become violent toward their family member when they have just experienced hardship in their lives, like losing a job. Affairs have also become a significant cause for domestic violence."

A national survey conducted by the All China Women's Federation last year, found one in every four women in China has experienced violence at home, verbally and physically, including having their freedom restricted and forced to have sexual relations.

Contact the writers at huangyuli@chinadaily.com.cn and hedan@chinadaily.com.cn