A Chinese newspaper?issued an apology?Thursday for its faux pas on its critical report of a man who hid while his wife was raped by a house intruder.

The Anhui-based Jianghuai Morning Post writes on its Weibo page Thursday that it?is sorry for using an inappropriate headline slating the man's reticence, which caused harm to him as well as readers.

The man, surnamed Yang, hid in a closet when an intoxicated security guard broke into his house in Shenzhen and raped his wife for more than one hour before he called the police on the night of Oct 23. He called himself the biggest wimp in the world when interviewed by the media.

The newspaper used this epithet for Wednesday's headline, adding "Yes you are. And you have the nerve to say it now?" afterwards.

The case became an instant hit on the Internet, with opinions varying. While the common wisdom lashed out at the man's cowardice, others questioned the authorities' lack of judgement in hiring the rapist who is an ex-con. Hours later, many began analyzing what external factors had lead to the family's tragedy and finally they realized the media had played a bad role by hyping up the case irresponsibly.

Chai Jing, a well-known journalist with China Central Television, said on her blog Wednesday afternoon that the way some media exposed the case is a shame, and the words "you're so weak", said by a reporter when interviewing Yang, is subjectively judgmental. She was also irritated by a photographer giving a close-up shot of the man.

When asked why he didn't come out to stop the thug, Yang said he was worried what would happen to his mother if he killed the rapist and he was sent to jail. The photographer then challenged him why he had not used legitimate defense tactics. He seemed not to grasp the legal term, and then covered up his face with his hands and burst into tears.

Yang's family has reportedly moved and could not be reached as of Thursday afternoon, according to Qianjiang Evening News, which added to the pressure from a gauntlet of media outlets.

Wang Mudi, a TV host in Guangdong province, said Yang's case touches the very essence of a journalist's work ethic. He was referring to some of them making up scenarios for the victims, which is an intimidating insult for a second time after the initial rape.