Don’t Settle Domestic and Sexual Violence Cases at Home

The public has been challenged to report cases of domestic violence to the appropriate authorities

Chiefs and opinion leaders have been cautioned against settling domestic and sexual violence cases in their palaces and at home but to swiftly report to the Police for appropriate action to be taken.

Superintendent of Police, Mr. George Appiah-Sakyi, Central Regional Co-ordinator of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), issued the warning at a day’s sensitisation workshop on the Domestic Violence Act at Assin Adadientem in the Assin South District of the Central Region.

He explained that domestic and sexual violence cases were criminal offences that must not be adjudicated at home and that perpetrators will not be spared by the long arm of the law.

The public must report cases of domestic violence and sexual abuse to the appropriate authorities whilst relatives and family members must not condone acts of incest because it was a criminal offence to engage in blood relationship in Ghana, he added.

Supt. Appiah-Sakyi noted that acts such as denying one’s partner sex in marriage, starving one’s husband, refusing to eat one’s wife’s food and verbal abuses were all forms of psychological abuses which were against the law.

Superintendent Appiah Sakyi proposed a periodic and constant education to upgrade the knowledge of traditional leaders on the Domestic Violence Act to enable them appreciate the issues involved.

Mrs Matilda Jennifer Buckman, a Community Development Officer at the Assin South Municipal Assembly expressed worry about the rate of divorce in the area which was negatively affecting children.

She said many of the children were going wayward and appealed to couples to try as much as possible to stay together.

Nii Lantei Tuaka II, Odikro of Adadientem expressed gratitude to DOVVSU for the sensitisation saying they were now aware of some of the laws they had no knowledge about.

The participants were taken through acts that constitute domestic violence, sexual and psychological abuses.