China's first case of lifetime ban on working with minors

A man was sentenced to prison for molesting an underage girl and was barred from working with minors for life, the first life ban imposed on a sexual offender in China.

The People's Court of Haidian District in Beijing condemned an assistant teacher, surnamed Wang, to prison for groping a 10-year-old girl's private body parts during their individual tutoring at school. He was detained when the child's family reported him to the authorities in March.

On November 15, the court found him guilty of child molestation and sentenced him to an unspecified period of imprisonment.

A joint guideline issued by the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuratorate and the Ministry of Education that went into effect on November 15 calls for a life ban for offenses related to minors.

If a member of the teaching staff commits a crime such as sexual assault, abuse, trafficking, or violent injury, the people's court can bar the person from working in close contact with minors for life, according to the new guideline.

Aside from informing the defendant of the scope of the employment ban, such a verdict can serve as oversight, trigger alerts, and improve the management of teaching facilities.