(ECNS) -- Over 90 percent of women who are married to a gay husband think they are the victims of a fraudulent marriage, while slightly more than 30 percent have chosen to get divorced, research has shown.
The study was conducted by a social anthropology team from Harbin University of Technology over three years, with support from China's Ministry of Education.
Researchers interviewed 173 women from online groups via QQ, a popular instant messaging software service. Three quarters of subjects were under 35 years of age, with the youngest at 22 and oldest at 67.
More than 90 percent say they've suffered from domestic abuse ranging from psychological to physical.
Among the respondents, 37.6 percent experienced "the silent treatment" or "the cold shoulder" from their spouses, while 38.7 percent suffered physical violence, and 15 percent life-threatening violence.
Some 93 percent regard their marriage a tragedy and say their lives are becoming meaningless. About 31.2 percent have chosen to divorce.
Experts believe many women try to keep their marriages intact due to concerns about their economic condition and their influence on their children after divorce.
In terms of sexual activity, 40.5 percent of women say they have sex less than five times every six months, while 34.1 percent have "almost no sex" or "no sex at all."
Some 15 percent say their husbands are HIV carriers, while 26.6 percent take regular blood tests. Around 12 percent of the women have been infected by their husbands.
