The Supreme People's Court has reinforced its "zero tolerance" policy toward the abuse and mistreatment of minors, underscoring the urgent need for severe penalties to fully safeguard children's health and safety.
最高人民法院重申对侵害未成年人行为坚持 “零容忍” 态度，强调必须依法从严惩处，全力守护未成年人身心健康与生命安全。

The court said that severe punishment is necessary in cases of prolonged abuse, especially those involving cruel methods that result in a minor's death. It urged judges nationwide to take a firm stance against crimes targeting children.
法院表示，对于长期虐待未成年人、采用残忍手段并造成未成年人死亡的案件，必须依法严惩，并要求全国各级法官坚决打击侵害未成年人的犯罪行为。

In a landmark case released by the court last week, a woman surnamed Wen was sentenced to death for abusing and injuring a 2-year-old girl.
上周，最高人民法院发布一起典型案例，一名温姓女子因虐待、伤害一名两岁女童，被依法判处死刑。

According to the court, Wen lived with a married man surnamed Tian and his biological daughter from February to December 2023. During that period, Wen and Tian repeatedly abused the child by tying her up, hanging her, forcing her to stand for long periods, and subjecting her to cold and hunger. They also beat her with their fists, slippers, spatulas, wooden sticks and other objects.
法院通报显示，2023 年 2 月至 12 月期间，温某与已婚的田某共同生活，家中还有田某的亲生女儿。在此期间，温某与田某多次虐待该女童，包括将其捆绑、悬吊、罚站，让其忍饥受冻，还使用拳头、拖鞋、锅铲、木棍等物品殴打孩子。

On Dec 21, 2023, after Tian left for work, Wen severely beat the girl with a phone charging cable and other objects for wetting the bed, causing her to convulse and collapse. Wen then called Tian, and they took the child to a hospital, where she died.
2023 年 12 月 21 日，田某外出务工后，女童因尿床遭到温某用手机充电线等物品猛烈殴打，随后女童抽搐倒地。温某随即联系田某，二人将孩子送往医院救治，最终女童经抢救无效死亡。

The lower court found that Wen, acting in collusion with Tian, had committed both abuse and intentional injury. Her long-term and repeated actions, coupled with the beating on the day of the incident directly caused the rupture of the victim's right atrium, leading to her death, the court ruled.
下级法院审理查明，温某伙同田某，实施虐待及故意伤害行为。温某长期多次施暴，加之案发当日的殴打行为，直接造成被害人右心房破裂，最终导致女童死亡。

"The woman's behavior severely violated social morality and fundamental human principles," the court said.
法院指出，该女子的行为严重违背社会公德与人伦底线。

Given the heinous nature of the crimes, the cruel methods used and the severe social impact, Wen was sentenced to death for intentional injury and abuse, with lifelong deprivation of political rights. Following review and approval by the court, Wen was executed.
鉴于其犯罪情节极其恶劣、作案手段残忍、社会危害极大，温某因犯故意伤害罪、虐待罪被判处死刑，剥夺政治权利终身。经最高人民法院复核核准，温某已被依法执行死刑。

The court added that Tian, as the victim's father, not only failed to stop Wen's abuse but also condoned and participated in it, making him a principal offender. For his role in the crimes, Tian was sentenced to life imprisonment for intentional injury and abuse.
法院同时表示，被害人父亲田某不仅未制止温某的虐待行为，反而纵容、参与施暴，系本案主犯。田某因犯故意伤害罪、虐待罪，被判处无期徒刑。

In another case disclosed by the SPC, a teacher promptly reported suspected abuse to a local court after noticing wounds on a teenage girl's face and body. Subsequent investigations found that the girl had been abused by her mother, who was later sentenced to seven years in prison.
最高人民法院还公布了另一起案例：一名教师发现一名未成年女孩面部和身体存在伤痕后，立即向当地司法机关上报疑似遭虐待的线索。经调查核实，施暴者为女孩的母亲，其最终被判处有期徒刑七年。

The SPC said that child abuse inflicts lasting damage to minors' physical and mental development, disrupts family bonds and erodes social morality. It stressed that such acts are "not merely domestic issues" but are "violations of the law and breaches of basic human ethics".
最高人民法院表示，虐待未成年人会对其身心发展造成长久伤害，破坏家庭亲情，败坏社会风气。此类行为绝非单纯的家务事，而是触犯法律、违背人伦的违法行为。

The court emphasized that the family should be a haven of love, the "first lesson" in a child's healthy development and the "first line of defense" in safeguarding children's rights.
法院强调，家庭本应是充满关爱的港湾，是未成年人健康成长的第一课堂，也是保障未成年人合法权益的第一道防线。

However, some guardians neglect their responsibilities, mistakenly justifying abuse as being "for the child's own good", or even participating in harm following changes in family relationships, the SPC said.
最高人民法院指出，部分监护人漠视自身责任，错误地将虐待行为辩解为 “为孩子好”，还有人因家庭关系变故，进而伤害未成年人。

"Such actions turn the family into a place of distress for minors, severely infringe upon their rights, and cross both legal and moral boundaries," it said.
此类行为让家庭沦为未成年人遭受痛苦的场所，严重侵犯未成年人合法权益，同时逾越了法律与道德的底线。

The SPC called for a stronger crackdown on crimes against minors and stressed that guardians must fulfill their responsibilities in caring for, educating and supervising children.
最高人民法院要求持续加大对侵害未成年人犯罪的打击力度，同时强调监护人必须依法履行对未成年人的抚养、教育和监护职责。

It also urged various sectors of society, including civil affairs departments, women's federations, community committees and public security organs, to strengthen child protection efforts and provide more comprehensive safeguards.
法院同时呼吁民政、妇联、居委会、公安等社会各界力量，协同强化未成年人保护工作，构建更加全面的防护体系。

minor /ˈmaɪnə(r)/ n. 未成年人
abuse /əˈbjuːz/ v. & n. 虐待；滥用
heinous /ˈheɪnəs/ adj. 极其恶劣的，十恶不赦的
safeguard /ˈseɪfɡɑːd/ v. & n. 保护；保障措施