Old Version
A group of dama (a term for women aged around 55 to 65) in Shangqiu, Henan Province, were recently detained for being involved in “gangland activities.” According to media reports, the dama were employed to harass debtors, for example by cursing them with loudspeakers, to force them into paying their dues. Most debts were related to construction projects in which the developers were in arrears with labor or other bills. Given most of the dama led a poor life and were paid little for becoming involved, many netizens felt pity for them, with lawyers arguing that the damas’ behavior was not serious enough to constitute the term “gangland.” Netizens complained that current laws offer little protection to creditors.
