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Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!mcnc!rti!tijc02!dlk411
From: dlk411@tijc02.UUCP (Dianne King         )
Newsgroups: sci.bio,sci.misc
Subject: Re: Rape: a reproductive advantage?
Message-ID: <193@tijc02.UUCP>
Date: 30 Jan 88 04:02:31 GMT
References: <517@gtx.com> <5129@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu> <2201@bloom-beacon.MIT.EDU> <365@rruxa.UUCP> <9852@sgi.SGI.COM>
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Organization: Texas Instr., Johnson City TN
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> Child abuse is not the same as infanticide, and in my opinion can not
> be likened to that behavior.  But, if you want to look at a case of
> infanticide you can, in the People's Republic of China.  There is a
> large problem with female infanticide in China due to the laws there
> regarding population control.  Couples are allowed very few children
> so if a female is born, it is often murdered so the couple can try
> again for a *male* child.

> Certainly the behavior arises from traditional
> attitudes found in the population, but what is at the root of these
> attitudes?  There is clearly a biological *aspect* to the behavior;
> one sex is singled out.  

Although it is off the track of the discussion, I decided to post further
details on the infanticide in China.  Couples are limited to one child.
It is very important to them to have a male child because tradition
requires that the oldest male child take care of his parents in their
old age.  Female children typically marry and will be responsible with
their spouse for his parents.  They do not have any good way to provide
for their old age other than through their male children.  

The infanticide is not only by the parents who did not get the male child
they were hoping for.  When pregnant with a second child the government
forces the mother to have an abortion, even if the pregnancy is not
discovered until the third trimester.  Even if she manages to escape
undetected until birth the baby will be killed at birth.

It seems like a much more human enforcement of the policy would be
sterilization after birth.

All of this is from memory and it has been several months since I read
the article.  It was written by a westerner visiting China on a scholarly
mission that was supposed to be somewhat of a 'good will' visit.  He became
close to a woman who was forced to abort her second child that she wanted
and needed very badly - her first was a girl.  The article was very
disturbing.  It was one of those times I did not take the freedom I have
for granted.

				Dianne King