The Chinese community was shocked as details emerged of a former government official holding six women hostage in an underground dungeon. The suspect, Li Hao, repeatedly raped the women for two years and eventually killed two of them. Furthermore, the journalist who reported the crime was held by security agents for “revealing state secrets.”
Ji Xuguand is a reporter for Southern Metropolis Daily, a publishing of China’s giant Southern Media Group. His article not only discussed the captivities, but also accused Luoyang city officials of attempting to hide the crime from the public. While China is less accustomed to such horrific crimes, the location undoubtedly played a huge role in the decision to keep quiet, as the women were held less than two miles from the public security bureau. Ji stated that he only intended to report the story accurately and satisfy the public’s right to know.
The report described how the women, aged sixteen to twenty-four, were abducted from their jobs at karaoke venues. Next they were taken to the dungeon, which Hao had dug beneath a rented basement space. Here, the women were kept with little food in order to decrease their chances of escape. Ultimately, one of the women was able to escape and reported the events to police. Li later learned that the security guards who detained him feared the release of the case because of a “Civilized City” contest Luoyang had entered.
Covering up a crime in order to gain attention as a “Civilized City” is an ironic contradiction. The people of this area deserved to know that this was happening. Raising awareness is an important factor in educating citizens of nearby dangers and letting others know that this type of behavior will not be tolerated. Countries all around the world can learn from this case as many crimes have been swept under the rug to avoid negative media attention.
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