Gaming addiction leads husband to attack wife, leaves her permanently blind

CHINA: In a heart-wrenching tale of love turned to violence, a young woman from Inner Mongolia, China, found herself at the mercy of her husband’s brutal rage, losing her sight and enduring severe injuries due to his gaming addiction.

Marital bliss cut short due to gaming addiction

Lao Chunxue, 28, met her husband, surnamed Xie, through a relative in 2022. Despite ongoing disputes over his gaming obsession, she accepted his proposal, moved to Henan province with him, and married him in January 2023.

According to a report published by SCMP, their marital bliss was short-lived. Xie’s gaming habit escalated, leading to frequent demands for money that Lao could not fulfil.

On March 19, 2023, a mere two months after their wedding, Xie’s demands for 10,000 yuan (US$1,400) turned violent when Lao explained she had no money left.

The ensuing assault was so severe that it left Lao blind, with optic atrophy caused by intracranial bleeding, and unable to care for herself. The attack was incited by Xie’s mother, who, during a video call, urged him to beat Lao if she did not give him money.

The violence only ceased when Lao’s cousin intervened, finding Xie strangling her with pyjama bottoms. Lao spent three months in a coma and awoke to a life of permanent blindness and severe injuries.

Is an 11-year sentence enough for brutal attack?

Her family, devastated by the plight of their daughter, has spent hundreds of thousands of yuan on her medical treatments, even mortgaging their home.

Despite this, doctors have declared the damage to her optic nerves irreversible. Xie’s family has contributed a mere 36,000 yuan (US$5,000) to her medical expenses, a sum criticized as an attempt to reduce his sentence.

On Aug 30, 2024, Xie was sentenced to 11 years in prison for intentional homicide and ordered to pay Lao 657,000 yuan (US$93,000) in compensation. Lao’s parents are appealing the decision, seeking a life sentence for Xie.

The case has ignited public outrage, with many condemning Xie’s actions and questioning the leniency of his sentence.

Online, netizens are calling for a life sentence, emphasizing the importance of understanding one’s partner before marriage and the need to address such violence with the severity it deserves.