Inside China's 'Rebellious' Teen Schools: Allegations of Abduction, Abuse & Exploitation Exposed
The chilling odor of rain-soaked earth still triggers a surge of fear in Baobao, a haunting echo of the brutal military drills she endured behind the locked gates of Lizheng Quality Education School. At just 14, she spent six agonizing months in a remote Chinese facility, one of many promising to "fix" young people deemed "rebellious" by their families. Her testimony, now at 19, paints a grim picture of systematic physical abuse, where students who failed to conform were beaten so severely they couldn't rest or sit for days. She contemplated suicide, a despair shared by others who attempted it.
Widespread Allegations of Abuse and Abduction
A BBC Eye investigation has uncovered widespread allegations of profound abuse across this network of schools, particularly those linked to military veteran Li Zheng. Despite corporal punishment being officially banned in China for decades, 23 former students have come forward with accounts of beatings and forced extreme exercise. Disturbingly, one former student alleges rape, while two others, including Baobao, describe sexual assault or harassment by instructors.
These institutions, part of a burgeoning industry, capitalize on parental anxieties regarding adolescent disobedience, internet addiction, dating, depression, and even gender or sexual identity. Some clients are even legal adults. Undercover filming reveals staff employing deceptive tactics, posing as officials to forcibly transport young people to these centers, often with parental consent. Thirteen students recount being "abducted" under such pretenses.
Baobao's Ordeal at Lizheng Quality Education School
Baobao's mother, desperate to address her daughter's truancy, enrolled her in the Lizheng school in Hunan province. Baobao quickly realized she was trapped. Her initial resistance met with threats of physical restraint, leading to forced compliance. She details a deeply offensive strip search, which she considers a sexual assault. For approximately 40,000 yuan (£4,300), Baobao received no academic lessons during her six-month ordeal.
The Lizheng school, now rebranded as "Quality Education for Teenagers," reportedly still houses around 300 students aged 8-18. Undercover footage from a BBC operative, posing as a parent, revealed locked gates, metal grilles, and CCTV surveillance in dormitories. A staff member openly discussed using a "white lie" during student "pick-ups," impersonating "internet regulators" or simply resorting to physical restraint to bring non-compliant youths to the school. A "three-year warranty" was offered, allowing parents to return children if old habits resurfaced, paying only for food and accommodation.
Zhang Enxu's Trauma and Transgender Identity
Zhang Enxu, now 20, experienced a similar trauma. At 19, struggling with her parents' rejection of her transgender identity, she was "abducted" by men claiming to be police while visiting her grandmother's grave. Her parents stood by as she was forcibly dragged into a vehicle. At Shengbo Youth Psychological Growth Training School in Hunan, Enxu alleges severe beatings, resulting in hearing loss, and later, rape by an instructor.
Methods of Discipline and 'Counseling'
Despite the undercover footage from Baobao's school showing staff denying beatings, both Baobao and Enxu describe constant corporal punishment, with instructors using pipes or rods for striking, leaving severe bruising. Enxu detailed "enormous" physical training, with push-up quotas starting at a thousand repetitions. She also recounted a sexual assault by a night-duty instructor in her dormitory.
Both former students recount dismissive "counseling" sessions. Enxu, whose parents paid 65,800 yuan (£7,000) for her six months, was urged to "Be a happy, healthy, positive boy. All right? You're a boy, do what boys do…" Baobao's suicidal ideation was met with callous disbelief.
Parental Desperation and Pathways to Escape
Dr. Yichen Rao, an anthropologist, suggests that societal pressure for academic success, coupled with a lack of support in the mainstream system, drives parents to these "last resort" schools. Baobao, reflecting on her mother's actions, believes she was "brainwashed by the slogans." She escaped by feigning an eye problem.
Enxu's nightmare ended after a month when friends, noticing her disappearance, alerted police. Her letters, smuggled out and posted online, went viral, prompting public outcry and police intervention. Shengbo school was subsequently closed, though authorities cited administrative violations rather than the alleged abuse.