Siwei Tan

Siwei Tan is a PhD candidate in the Department of Development Studies at SOAS, University of London. Her research focuses on issues related to premarital sex, pregnancy, and abortion in China, with a particular emphasis on the emotional and psychological dimensions of reproductive experiences. 

Her doctoral thesis examines both urban women’s and men’s personal experiences of premarital abortion, employing a gender analytical framework to explore trauma, post-abortion emotions, and the broader socio-cultural dynamics that shape these experiences.

Her research interrogates micro and relational violence within premarital relationships, including the complexities of intimacy, sex and contraceptive use, decision-making in premarital abortion, and the implications of medical violence, verbal and emotional abuse and neglect. She also explores the long-term emotional suffering endured by both women and men over the past three decades, highlighting the silence surrounding these issues in Chinese society.

Siwei holds a Master’s degree in Gender Studies from SOAS, University of London. In addition to her academic work, she is actively involved in gender advocacy and social activism. Since 2016, she has served as the founder and executive of a grassroots initiative in China dedicated to promoting gender equality. Through this initiative, she has worked on raising awareness, supporting marginalized communities, and challenging social norms that contribute to gender-based violence and stigma.