Anti-rape Squad Selected for Looks, Acting Skills and Kung Fu Prowess

An anti-rape squad of female detectives selected for their seductive looks, skill in martial arts and acting ability has been set up by police in China.

The seven-woman team - a first for the normally stodgy Chinese police - has been organised in Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan province, in response to growing public concern about a spate of unsolved sex crimes. Established earlier this month, it has drawn comparisons with the fictional TV crime fighters Charlie's Angels.

The squad's members, whose average age is 26, are all graduates of police academies.

According to the local media, they were chosen primarily for their beauty, but also because they are experts in kung fu.

Part of their job will be to act as the bait - and the trap - for sexual assailants who have plagued the Zhongyuan suburban district.

"The team members will lure suspects to commit crimes against them," their coach, Zhu Ji, told reporters.

When they patrol the city's streets, the women will dress in short skirts, knee-high boots and revealing necklines.

For operations in rural areas, they will be dressed in more practical clothes so that they can pass off as country women. At all times, they will work in a team and carry hidden pistols.

The foundation of the team represents a significant change from traditional policing methods. Rape is believed to be very under-reported and under-investigated in China. But after the rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl last month - the latest of about 30 violent sex crimes over the past two years - public opinion in Zhengzhou has forced officers to consider a new approach.

"We are under a lot of pressure from the media to solve these crimes, but traditional methods haven't worked so we have decided to try something different," said Li Fei, of the Zhongyuan public security bureau.

The women are undergoing two months of training covering psychology, physical exercise, pistol use and acting.

"Acting is very important," said Mr Li. "In the past, we have tried to use regular policewomen to lure rapists, but they were unconvincing."