Man detained for allegedly raping girl in China training camp; victim later took her own life

JIANGXI - A man has been criminally detained on suspicion of raping a 14-year-old girl at a self-discipline training camp in Jiangxi province, police announced on Aug 16.

The suspect, an instructor at the camp surnamed Wang, was detained on Aug 4 after the girl’s mother reported the alleged assaults, according to the Anyuan county public security bureau. The case is under investigation.

The girl, identified only by her surname Du, jumped to her death at her family’s apartment building on Aug 5 after disclosing the alleged abuse, according to local media reports.

Ms Du participated in the training camp near her home in Anyuan county in July.

Her mother said that at the beginning of the camp, she often saw her daughter in the photos shared by the camp instructors in a group on WeChat. But over time, she was unable to see her in the photos shared in the group chat, Huashang News, a newspaper based in Shaanxi province, reported.

The training camp concluded on July 26. Upon returning home, Ms Du displayed signs of depression. On Aug 1, her mother learned from a friend’s child, who also attended the camp, that her daughter had been raped by Wang in front of other girls.

On Aug 2, after being questioned by her mother, Ms Du disclosed that she had been sexually assaulted three times by Wang between July 11 and 15 and was coerced into taking contraceptive medication.

She said that she attempted to escape the camp to seek help on July 17, but was pursued and stopped by instructors.

Ms Du also confided in a teacher at the camp about her ordeal, but no action was taken.

On the afternoon of Aug 5, while being comforted by her family, Ms Du suddenly jumped from a window in the corridor. Despite medical efforts to save her, she was pronounced dead around 9 pm.

The girl’s father told Jiupai News, a news portal based in Hubei province: “It’s truly devastating to witness your own child jump from a building. It feels like the sky has collapsed.” CHINA DAILY/ ASIA NEWS NETWORK