LANZHOU - Fu Lian's nightmare of suffering constant beatings by his daughter-in-law has ended. She is facing criminal charges for violating a protection order granted by a local court.

Personal protection orders are a powerful legal weapon for victims of family violence and are a major feature of the country's law against domestic violence, which took effect on March 1 last year.

The law challenges the deep-rooted belief in Chinese culture that domestic violence is a private matter that should be kept within the family to avoid the shame of exposure.