A prostitute in Chongqing, aged 41, was beaten for four minutes by a 49-year-old male client after she refused his request for a kiss. Eventually, she stabbed him to death with a fruit knife, claiming self-defense. The court found her guilty of excessive defense and sentenced her to four years in prison.
According to Xiaoxiang Morning Post, before the incident, the woman surnamed Meng lived in a rented house in Chongqing. She recounted that on the afternoon of October 20, 2023, while waiting for clients in an alley, a man passed by and inquired about her services. After agreeing on terms, she took him to a rented room where they engaged in sexual activity. During this time, when she refused the man’s request for a kiss, he slapped her and punched her head repeatedly for three to four minutes.
Meng stated that a neighbor knocked on the door and persuaded the man to leave the rented room. However, he returned shortly after, threatened to kill her, and kicked her to the ground. She grabbed a nearby fruit knife and stabbed him when he attempted to attack her again. The man, after pulling out the knife, tried to stab her but soon lost strength and eventually stopped moving.
After trial, the court determined that Meng stabbed the man in the left chest, causing a ruptured heart leading to acute cardiac tamponade, which resulted in his death despite rescue efforts.
The court concluded that Meng’s rights were unlawfully violated during the incident, and her action of stabbing the man with a fruit knife was defensive in nature but exceeded necessary defense. Although Meng was under threat, the level of violence against her did not justify the lethal response. Hence, she was sentenced to four years in prison for intentional injury.
Zhang Yonghong, a professor at Xiangtan University Law School, emphasized that despite the man’s unarmed assault on Meng, the power dynamics, gender, and threat perceived by the defender cannot be overlooked. He noted that the continuous assault and verbal threats posed a real danger, justifying Meng’s defensive actions.
Zhang Yonghong argued that considering the circumstances, restricting the defender from using a tool for defense or demanding precision in targeting the assailant’s body parts would be unreasonable and harsh.
He further stated that the profession of the defender, in this case, being a prostitute, should not influence the judgment of the case, as everyone, regardless of occupation, has the right to protect their life.