Temporary Rape

Disturbing Chinese term for a sexual assault that was deemed to be less serious because it was apparently unpremeditated.

Ellen Zhu reported in The W.S.J. that “the latest catchphrase to catch fire among China’s Internet users just sounds wrong from the get-go: ‘Temporary rape’ (临时性强奸, linshixing qiangjian in Mandarin).”

According to Zhu, the oxymoronic term emerged after two police assistants in Huzhou, a city in Zhejiang province, were sentenced to three years in prison in late October for the rape of a young woman:

In explaining the relatively light sentences imposed, the court said the defendants had committed a “temporary crime on a whim” and had turned themselves in to police shortly afterward, according to Zhejiang Online, a government-backed provincial news portal. …

So far, the majority of the online posts and media opinions have taken a negative tone toward the court’s reasoning. People are also adding “temporary” to other words to highlight the twisted logic involved. Examples include “temporary bribery taking,” “temporary murder” and “temporary divorce, no asset separation.”

The qualification of rape as “temporary” catalyzed public outrage to such an extent that a review of the case has been ordered and, according to The Global Times, a retrial announced.

However, Ruan Qilin, a criminal law professor at Beijing’s China University of Political Science and Law told The Global Times:

“In Chinese criminal law practice, it’s common to distinguish premeditated crimes from crimes committed out of a temporary impulse. …

“And apparently the latter category embraces lower subjective malignance. So it’s not a fresh thing to see words such as ‘temporary’ in the verdict.”

The core of the case, Ruan told the Global Times, is whether the crime can be classified as “gang rape.” That is what determines whether or not the penalty is improper, he said.