In Depth: The Dark Side Behind China’s Youth ‘Correction’ Industry

In January, 21-year-old Chinese college student Zhang Yiran received an ultimatum from her mother: return to Shanghai to sign documents related to a property loan, or their relationship would be over.

Zhang, a student in the eastern Chinese city of Nanchang, didn’t know the signing was a pretext. Her mother had already contacted a private “behavior correction” institution and was preparing to send her there against her will because the mother objected to her romantic relationship.