The missing girls and women of China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan : a sociological study of infanticide, forced prostitution, political imprisonment, "ghost brides," runaways, and thrownaways, 1900-2000s

In the past century, tens of millions of women and girls have disappeared in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. There are many reasons: the women variously were sold as "foreign spouses"; imprisoned for their political beliefs; taken to night clubs or massage parlors to work as "escorts"; provided as "comfort women" to soldiers; or murdered by female corpse dealers and sold as "ghost brides" to families looking to give their deceased sons wives in the afterlife. The youngest girls fell victim to infanticide, the tragic result of a "one child" law in a male-dominated society. As a result of the gender imbalance these disappearances created, countless young males now suffer from the "marriage squeeze," remaining single without families of their own. This sociological study explores the institutional factors, develops a typology for these populations, and lays a foundation for the examination of lost populations in the future In the past century, tens of millions of women and girls have disappeared in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. There are many reasons behind this phenomenon: some were sold as "foreign spouses"; imprisoned for their political beliefs; taken to night clubs or massage parlors to work as "escorts"; provided as "comfort women" to soldiers; or murdered by female corpse dealers and sold as "ghost brides" to families looking to give their deceased sons wives in the afterlife. The youngest girls fell victim to infanticide, the tragic result of a "one child" law in a male-dominated society. As a result of the gender imbalance these disappearances created, countless young males now suffer from the "marriage squeeze," remaining single without families of their own. This sociological study explores the institutional factors contributing to the phenomenon of missing females, develops a typology for these populations, and lays a foundation for social scientists to examine lost populations in the future. In The Past Century, Tens Of Millions Of Women And Girls Have Disappeared In China, Hong Kong, And Taiwan. This Sociological Study Explores The Institutional Factors Contributing To The Phenomenon Of Missing Females, Develops A Typology For These Populations, And Lays A Foundation For Social Scientists To Examine Lost Populations In The Future--provided By Publisher. Tables And Figures -- Preface -- Introduction -- The Study Of Missing Females -- Conceptualization Of Missing Females : A Classification System -- Missing Females At High Risk Of Vanishing Permanently -- Female Political Prisoners -- Slain Baby Girls -- Ghost Brides -- Missing Females With Some Chances To Re-emerge -- Comfort Women -- Trafficked Women And Girls -- Runaways/thrownaways -- Conclusion -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index. Hua-lun Huang. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 213-227) And Index. Content: Tables and figures -- Preface -- Introduction -- The study of missing females -- Conceptualization of missing females : a classification system -- Missing females dead or at high risk -- Female political prisoners -- Slain baby girls -- Ghost brides -- Missing females with some chances to re-emerge -- Comfort women -- Trafficked women and girls -- Runaways/thrownaways -- Conclusion -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index.