Hong Kong Free Press
13th August 2020
Sexual abuse, assault – the grim prospects for China’s blind women
By Helen Roxburgh and Danni Zhu
When Xiao Jia lost her sight as a teenager she was told the “respectable” career choice was to become a massage therapist.
Instead she found an industry rife with abuse and aggression, where women are afforded little protection.
The visually impaired are encouraged to work in massage parlours in China because it is believed they are extra sensitive to touch.
It’s also seen as a practical option in a country that routinely separates those with disabilities from the rest of society from a young age, and where few professions are willing to accommodate blind staff.
But for many blind women the reality is full of risks.