She said a thorough understanding of the regulations will aid the officers in their pursuit to seeking justice for victims of domestic violence.

[contextly_sidebar id=”ZZ89Sl7oLwiqcgymudN5k5wAEYpzAsrM”]Speaking at a seminar for crime officers within the Greater Accra Region on Domestic and Gender Based Violence issues and challenges, Maame Tiwaa urged the personnel to strictly use the guidelines and eschew unethical practices in resolving such matters.

“The whole thing [seminar] was necessitated because I realized that most of the crime officers haven’t actually read the Domestic Violence Act, they haven’t even seen the Act and if the law that is supposed to guide us is not being used by our officers then it means they are unlikely to do their work well.”

Maame Tiwaa added that, the resolution of gender-based violence is multifaceted, and that it needs special attention.

“It is different from other traditional crimes, it’s very sensitive and most of the issues that we have to deal with are family related and other things. Moreover victims of such crimes sometimes get so much afraid, they are traumatized and we need to handle them well. Some of them may not want to report but when we receive them, we have to assure them that they are going to get justice, it encourages other people to report such cases,” she added.

Mrs. Angela Dwamena-Aboagye of the Art Foundation and other resource persons, took participants through the Domestic Violence Act 732, 2007, and the Domestic Violence Regulations LI 2237, 2016, which outlined the required guidelines for handling domestic violence cases in the country.

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By: Anass S. Seidu/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Apply domestic violence laws meticulously – CID boss to crime officers appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The situation has left her with the responsibility of looking after the children alone, due to the weak social and legal systems in the country that make it easy for men to shirk their responsibilities towards their children.

Vida has been in an abusive marriage for the past four years, and is currently traumatized by that experience.

[contextly_sidebar id=”KqTzvdq7tpmrNWv368sLZSOW6rd5GjJr”]“It has been almost three years now since we fled from Tamale, occasionally my [husband] comes to my stepfather’s house to abuse me when he is high on alcohol and his weed, he attacks,” she said.

The lady, who is currently staying in her stepfather’s house with the four kids is being evicted this Saturday.

The biggest challenge, however, is that the stepfather is demanding that the lady and her kids vacate the house.

“I am now looking for NGO to come in to help because the kids do not go to school, he does not pay their fees, I cannot do it all alone, and I am being thrown out the house,” he said.

‘Establish funds for domestic violence‘

The Human Rights division of the High Court has ordered the government to immediately establish a domestic violence support fund to provide free medical care for domestic violence victims.

The order was part of a judgment delivered by the court in a case where a private legal practitioner, Martin Kpebu, filed a suit praying the court for a directive to the government, to fully comply with the domestic violence Act passed a decade ago.

According to the applicant, section 8(3) of the Domestic Violence Act, 2007 (Act 732), mandates the State to provide free medical care for victims of domestic violence.

Mr. Kpebu further stated that, section 29 of the same (Act 732) demands that a domestic violence support fund is set up or established to provide basic material support for victims of domestic violence and to rescue, rehabilitate and reintegrate victims of domestic violence.

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By: Farida Yusif/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Abused mother seeks help appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The figure was a reduction comparing it to that of 2015 figure of 3,314.

Some of the cases included, neglect of parental duties, defilement, child stealing, forced marriage, causing unlawful damage, assault, rape, exposing child to harm and criminal abortion.

The Central Regional Coordinator of DOVVSU, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) George Appiah-Sakyi told the media on Monday that 199 of the reported cases were rape, defilement, sexual harassment and incest related.

He said assault cases topped the list with 797 cases followed by non-maintenance with 651 cases, 180 for threat of death and 138 being defilement cases.

He said records available to the Unit for the past five years showed that assault cases, which hitherto placed second, topped the list.

He said the Unit recorded 131 abduction cases compared to 71 in 2015 while kidnapping cases increased significantly from two in 2015 to 38 in the year under review.

He indicated that majority of the cases came from Cape Coast and its immediate settlements, including Elmina, Mankessim, Kasoa, Agona Swedru and Assin Fosu.

DSP Appiah-Sakyi blamed the high number of non-maintenance cases on broken homes, large family sizes, poverty and unwanted pregnancies.

He advised that family planning be embraced.

The Unit in collaboration with United Nations Population Fund and some Non-Governmental Organizations organized a number of sensitization workshops to help stop gender and sexual based violence.

The DOVVSU boss however said sensitization activities and education on the need to end domestic violence for a healthy family and society would be intensified across the Region in the coming years.

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Source: GNA

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