Bu

Bu is a 45-year-old Chinese woman with a history of mental illness and an advanced university education. She had been missing for over a decade before being discovered in late 2024 in Heshun county, Shanxi province, more than 100km from her home. Bu's case is newsworthy because she had given birth to several children while missing, and the man who fathered the children has not been charged with rape. This decision has sparked a debate in China regarding rape, consent, and the country's efforts to increase its birth rate. The case raises questions about the legal protections afforded to individuals with mental illness and the definition of consent in such circumstances. The lack of charges against the father has fueled public outrage and scrutiny of the legal system's handling of vulnerable individuals, highlighting the complexities of balancing individual rights with societal concerns about population growth.