At least 17,655 cases were reported to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit of the Ghana Police Service in 2014.
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17,655 Domestic Violence Cases Reported In 2014
17,655 cases were reported to DOVVSU of the Ghana Police Service in 2014.
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Non-maintenance topped the list with 6,158 cases while wife battery and assault followed with 5,212 cases.
The unit also received 1,667 cases of threat, 1,111 cases of defilement and 290 rape cases.
The data represented only reported cases.
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The Deputy Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Mr John Alexander Ackon, made this known at the launching of a training manual on gender-based violence, reproductive health and rights to be used in police training schools.
The development of the manual was sponsored by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and spearheaded by the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU).
The manual is to serve as a tool for capacity building on preventing and addressing sexual and gender-based violence and its ramifications on health,legal, justice and community responses.
Mr Ackon described the rate of gender-based violence as alarming.
The consequences of domestic violence, he said, “could be dire. Injury, death and broken homes could all result from violence in the home.”
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Domestic violence could lead to loss of opportunity, isolation from family and friends, loss of income or work and homelessness.
On the other hand, domestic violence could also result in emotional and psychological effects such as anxiety, depression or lowered sense of self-worth, poor health and physical injury or impairment.
For women, Mr Ackon observed that the consequences of domestic violence were even greater.
He said “according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), women are more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, mental challenges, eating problems and sexual dysfunction as a result of violence".
To provide guidance for the management of domestic violence issues, Mr Ackon said the ministry was spearheading the development of a domestic violence regulation.
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“The approach to ending gender-based violence is not just preventive but being able to handle cases when they occur. That is why the development of this training manual is very timely. I trust that the police training colleges will make use of it constructively.”
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