Help or Helpless

 Yilin Chen 

ESL 100 

November 11, 2022 

Help or Helpless 

In the late twentieth century, because of the rapid increase in China’s population, the Chinese government began to implement the One-Child Policy. Until 2013, when the government changed the One-Child Policy, couples could have a second child based on their first being a girl. If they still had a girl, then they were not allowed to have more children. At that time, China was poor. The population was so large, and the control of the population was also for more people to have enough to eat. During that time, many children did not get enough to eat and did not wear warm clothes. Even adults were too skinny. However, there were always people who violated the policy, and my family was one of the families that violated the policy. I did not have a brother, so my father wanted a boy. For many families who did not follow the policy, it is a memory that will never be forgotten for them. I understand the One-Child Policy to control population growth, but how they were implemented was too harsh. 

In the beginning, many couples wanted more children regardless of the policy. For instance, when my aunt took her fourth child, people from the One-Child Policy office went to her house, and they took away her furniture and all the money from her family and forced her to have an abortion. At that time, in the village, my aunt’s family was not rich, so it completely ruined my aunt’s family. Even though she did not give birth to her fourth child, she still had three children at home waiting to eat. Since she was forced to have an abortion, her health has not been good. While caring for the children, she also had to do farm work. Furthermore, many people were working in the city. Once they violated the policy, they would lose their job and need to pay a fine. Unlike now, people can quit their job and find another job. At that time, many families could send their children to school because they had better jobs. Instead, many people wanted to keep their job and only have one child. 

In addition, the policy forced many women to go into hiding. Then, instead of giving birth in their village they hid in other villages and gave birth. For example, I did not have brothers, so my father wanted a boy. My birth was allowed because my parent’s first child was a girl. A year after I was born, my mother got pregnant again. At that time, women were not allowed to have another child. Furthermore, my mother was one of the women who went to another village and gave birth to my younger sister. After that, my parents discovered that my younger sister could not get identification because her birth is illegal. My parents had to buy the identification of the dead child from another family. Not only my parents had to buy identification for my younger sister, but they also needed to pay a 5000 yuan fine for her. After that, my mother was forced to be fitted with an IUD. 

Finally, the punishment for violating the policy was harsh, so the villagers feared the government workers who came to the village to do checks. Because it was a small village, the villagers would know each other. If someone is pregnant, villagers would know immediately. Villagers would have a bad attitude toward expectant mothers with more than one child. The villagers would worry that the One-Child Policy officers would come to the village. They would stay away from the family that violated the policy because they did not want to get in trouble. At that time, over-birth families were helpless and scared at the same time. 

In conclusion, the One-Child Policy continued until 2016. Although China’s large population must be controlled, the punishment for violating the policy was too harsh. I did not live through that time, but my mother experienced it firsthand. I am glad that China has abolished this policy. Because of this policy, many families only have one child. Because of this policy, many mothers suffer innocently. Because of the inadequate medical equipment at that time, their bodies were also seriously injured, including their psychological trauma.