Chinese women at risk as male-female ratio widens

BEIJING - China’s widening sex ratio could result in a surge of crimes against women as shortage of females may lead to abduction of girls for forced marriages, a media report said.

Disparity in male-female ratio has been steadily growing since 1980s, which threatened to cause “irreversible” damage to society, People’s Daily reported Monday.

According to National Population and Family Planning Commission, ratio of men to women was 130 to 100 this year in provinces like Anhui, Jiangxi and Shannxi.

A survey of under-19 population by Chinese Academy of Social Sciences shows that by 2020 there would be 24 million more men than women of marriageable age.

“The effect of gender imbalance may not be obvious yet, but if we don’t take measures to narrow the gap now, the accumulated effects will lead to irreversible problems for society,” said Yuan Xin, professor of population and development research institute of Nankai University.

A Chinese man in his mid-20s is considered young in cities, but in rural areas, where traditional ideas remain strong, is thought to be old, he said, adding “the country has already entered an era where men far outnumber women.”