Domestic violence cases on the rise
By Ama A. Amankwah Baafi
The Accra Regional Office of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) report for 2009 has reported an increase in cases reported in 2009.
In all, DOVVSU handled a total of 5,709 cases in 2009 against 4,904 cases in 2008, an increase of 805. A total of 4,689 males were suspects / perpetrators and 1,020 were females, a rise of 16.5% over 2008 cases.
According to Chief Inspector Irene Oppong, the Public Affairs Officer of the Accra Office, the increase in the number of reported cases can be attributed to the extensive and effective public education the unit embarked upon.
"Due to the awareness creation a lot of people are now aware of their rights and what constitutes domestic violence, she noted."
The Domestic Violence Act, 2007 provides protection from domestic violence, which includes engaging in any act under the Criminal Code 1960 (Act 29) in a previous or existing domestic relationship.
Such acts include threats to commit, or acts likely to result in physical abuse, sexual abuse, economic abuse, emotional, verbal or psychological abuse, harassment including sexual harassment and behavior or conduct in any way that harms or may harm another person, as well as endanger the safety, health or well-being of another person.
Sub section 3 under section 8 of the DV Act, 2007 states that a victim of domestic violence who is assisted by the police to obtain medical treatment is entitled to free medical treatment from the State. Sub section 4 states that in case of emergency or a life threatening situation a victim of domestic violence may receive free medical treatment pending a complaint to the police and the issuance of a report.
In reality, however, victims of domestic violence are made to pay for medical bills whenever they present a police medical form to government / public and police hospitals which consequently stalls investigations by the DOVVSU.
According to the Public Affairs Officer of the Accra office of the unit, Chief Inspector Irene Oppong, about 60% of assault cases / complaints received by the unit in 2009 is still under investigation.
The reason is that most victims do not return to the unit again as they are unable to afford medical bills and therefore settle for arbitration.
"Until medical treatment is free as stated in the DV Act, investigations cannot be smooth. Victims who are not financially sound don't come back but go in for arbitration and take compensation from the perpetrators, she said."
Cases of assault overwhelmingly dominated the complaints with 2,458 cases reported at the end of December 2009. Such cases also ranked high in 2008 with 2,122 cases reported and as usual women continue to be the most victims of domestic violence with the figure at 4,672 against 1,037 males.
She told Public Agenda that assault cases continue to be the most common form of domestic violence reported at DOVVSU, a situation which was due to lack of communication and belief in certain traditional values.
"Some men feel so superior that they think by virtue of being a man they should be able to discipline a woman. Others think that no matter what they will only be reported to DOVVSU and perhaps jailed for some few years," she said.
The second highest number of reports, 673 reports, in 2009 was threat of death/harm. Most people think that once the act has not been carried out it does not amount to crime although it does.
Defilement, which involves cases of mainly adults having sexual intercourse under duress with minors or children below the age of 16 came third with 492 complaints, a reduction of 60 (552 in 2008). A total of 374 cases of parents and guardians who failed to supply basic necessities of life were recorded as the fourth highest.
DOVVSU received 365 cases of offensive conduct, 275 cases of stealing and 178 cases of rape for the period under review. Some 132 cases of exposing children to harm were recorded. Abduction, which involves keeping a minor and having sex with her, stood at 115 reports.
The unit also reported 64 cases of indecent assault, 33cases of causing harm, 32 cases of criminal abortion, 25 of attempted rape, 22 of attempted abortion, 21 of child abandonment, 15 of incest, 14 of harassment, 13 of failing to name a child, 11 of compulsion of marriage and 4 of cases of child trafficking.
Chief Inspector Oppong advised women to desist from acts of raining insults on the men when there is an issue to resolve and instead report the matter to the Social Welfare Department located on the premises of DOVVSU.
She appealed to all and sundry to be involved in the fight for better human rights.
Source: Public Agenda