BULLYING VICTIM’S SUICIDE

In early December, police in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, discovered the body of photographer Zhou Peng (better known by his online handle Ludaosen), who disappeared on November 28 after posting a suicide note on Weibo citing his experiences as a “left-behind” child growing up with absent parents, and being bullied at school for his feminine appearance.

The tragedy, and Zhou’s family’s indifferent reaction, has attracted anger and grief about left-behind children and school bullying. Former victims of bullying have commented with their own experiences below Zhou’s final post, with many criticizing teachers and parents’ dismissal of children’s reports of bullying as being “oversensitive.”

According to government figures, China had over 6 million “leftbehind children.” On January 1, 2022, China’s Family Education Law came into effect, outlining families’ and the government’s responsibility to guarantee the physical and mental well-being of minors.