Domestic violence is the major motive behind most female and juvenile crimes, according to a survey carried out by a provincial women's rights watchdog.

An examination conducted by the Shanxi Women's Federation on homicides committed by women in Shanxi Women's Prison showed that in 45.3 percent of cases, the offenders were unable to bear their husbands' violence, Xinhua News Agency reported Thursday, which was International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

"More than half of the women prisoners committed crimes because of domestic violence," Li Yue'e, chairman of the Shanxi Women's Federation, told Xinhua. "Domestic violence is a major reason for the growing rate of divorce and juvenile crime."

Li said 90 percent of juveniles in Shanxi's work-study schools for delinquent children come from broken families.

According to a survey by the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), domestic violence exists in 31 percent of the 270 million families in China, with 90 percent of the violence committed by men.

The ACWF is drafting a proposal for a domestic violence law, Jiang Yue'e, an official from the ACWF was quoted by Thursday's Legal Mirror as saying.