Domestic violence has been a hot issue in China ever since celebrity “Crazy English” founder Li Yang admitted to beating his American wife last year. But it’s not always the female that finds itself the victim of domestic violence.

A man in Guangzhou’s Baiyun District has accused his wife of beating him, according to the Information Times. The man, surnamed Zhang, is appealing to have a restraining order taken out against her.

Zhang met the woman, surnamed Li, 18 years ago, and after a two-year romance they got married and had a son. However, after they got married, Li became a much more irritable person, and began to get violent. It got to a point where Zhang could not take it anymore.

When Zhang initially suggested getting a divorce, his tearful wife resisted. But after Zhang filed for divorce, Li appeared outside his place of work with a muscular man and demanded he come out. The security guard eventually managed to turn them away. In the end, Zhang applied for the restraining order which will prevent his ex-wife from harrassing him, including by telephone.

Guangdong Province’s first case of a man taking out a restraining order against a woman was in Zhuhai’s Xiangzhou Court in July last year. The reason cited was that the wife had threatened to have male relatives come and beat the husband.

Couples going through messy break-ups are never far form the news in this part of the world. In January this year, one couple threatened to publish each other’s nude photos online after a dispute.