Beijing: Modern-day children don’t like to be kept under a leash by their parents.
And some of those who do try to control their children can land in trouble.
Just like a Chinese couple discovered recently.
A 20-year-old woman reported her ‘control freak’ parents to the police after they installed a spy camera in her bedroom.
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), Li approached Beijing police station for help on July 26 after coming to know that her parent were spying on her.
She told cops that her parents had installed the camera in her bedroom, and would hit her and throw her phone on the floor every time they disapproved of her actions.
The second-year college student informed officers that she was running away from home to another province as she wanted “freedom.”
She complained that violent parenting has left her traumatised, which is why she planned to find part-time jobs to save money and be independent.
She didn’t want her parents to report her missing and “make a scene”, hence she wanted the police to know in advance that she was fine, reported SCMP.
Police officer Zhang Chuanbin comforted the woman and said her parents’ behaviour was wrong. He contacted the couple and asked them to give their adult child more space and show respect.
The parents agreed to take down the camera, after which she agreed to return home.
Social media users in China were all symapathetic towards the 20-year-old, and were quick to pull up the parents.
“So horrible. Having no private space at all despite being 20,” wrote one person.
“Children are independent individuals, not parents’ belongings — some Chinese parents should keep this in mind,” said another.
“Even a prison respects people’s privacy more than this,” read one post, while another user praised the girl for being brave and fighting back.
