A Reflection on What I Saw Online About Special Needs Schools in China
A personal reflection on controversial "internet addiction treatment" institutions and the stories surrounding them
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I recently came across a piece of content on Chinese social media that caught my attention.
'有人问我们，为什么说戒网瘾学校(a)是中国的萝莉岛(b)：近日的行动里，我们再一次潜入了曾经臭名昭著的湖南圣博戒网瘾机构（慧腾学校）， 在这所罪行累累的学校里，曾有许多初高中或者年龄更小的，花一样年纪的少女，少年，被强奸，殴打，甚至被某些特定人群当作免费 的“青楼”(c)，在里面享用幼女，这些都层真实发生着。今日，我们在学校办公室一个不起眼的角落的柜子里，找到了一些“不同寻常”之物—— 一堆hcg检测试剂，俗称“验孕棒”。为什么一个学校的办公室里会存在一大把验孕棒呢？ '
Translate:'Someone asked us why we say that internet addiction treatment schools(a) are China’s Lolita Island(b): During a recent action, we once again entered the former notorious Hunan Shengbo internet addiction treatment institution (Huiteng School). In this school, which has accumulated numerous accusations of wrongdoing, many teenagers, including middle school students, high school students, and even younger children, were allegedly subjected to sexual assault and physical abuse. They were even used by certain individuals as a free ‘brothel’(c) for the exploitation of minors. These things had actually happened. Today, in an unnoticed corner of a cabinet in the school’s office, we found something unusual — a large number of HCG test kits, commonly known as pregnancy tests. Why would there be so many pregnancy tests in a school’s office?'
The post was accompanied by several photos. While looking into the topic, I also found a video related to the same matter.(blurred for privacy)
I recently came across a piece of content on Chinese social media discussing a controversial "internet addiction treatment" institution in China. According to the post, some parents had sent their children to such institutions, believing that they could address various issues their children were experiencing, such as excessive internet use, difficulties with school, emotional problems, or other behavioral concerns. However, the post described cases of physical abuse and sexual exploitation involving minors inside the institution.
The post also mentioned that the author found a large number of pregnancy test kits (HCG test kits) in a cabinet at the institution. However, I could not find any mention of this detail in the official reports regarding the institution's closure.
What shocked me was not only the abuse itself, but also the fact that people in positions of authority could commit such acts against vulnerable children. These institutions were supposed to provide guidance and help, yet some children reportedly experienced harm in places where they should have been protected.
Beyond the actions of those who committed abuse,I also found myself questioning why some parents chose to send their children to such institutions instead of seeking professional medical or psychological support. For issues such as depression, difficulties with school, or emotional struggles, professional treatment and proper care are often needed.
It is difficult to understand why some families would place their children in environments where the methods and supervision may be questionable.