Domestic violence is a pervasive and devastating issue that affects millions of people worldwide.
It is a violation of human rights, a serious public health concern and a major obstacle to achieving equality and empowerment.
It affects the safety, dignity and well-being of countless individuals, especially women and children.
It can take many forms, including physical, emotional, financial and sexual abuse.
It is often characterised by a pattern of behaviour that is used to control, intimidate and manipulate another person.
The impact of domestic violence can be severe, ranging from physical injuries and emotional trauma to long-term psychological damage and even death.
Supporting victims of domestic violence is crucial to helping them escape abusive situations and rebuild their lives.
This support can take many forms, including creating a safe and confidential space for victims to share their experiences and receive support and also by providing access to resources such as counselling, advocacy and support groups to help victims navigate the complex system and rebuild their lives.
Believing and validating the experiences of survivors is critical to building trust and supporting their journey towards healing as well as holding perpetrators accountable for their actions to help create a culture of accountability and preventing further abuse.
To ensure a more holistic approach to dealing with the issue, section 29 of the Domestic Violence Act, 2007 (Act 732) established a fund as a critical mechanism for providing material and psychological needs for survivors, to build shelters, provide legal aid, rehabilitation and reintegration of survivors.
It is against this background that Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have called for increased funding for the DV Fund to support survivors. Sadly, despite its importance, the DV Fund consistently receive a disproportionately low allocation of less than 0.01 per cent of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) budget, which has been the trend since 2021 (See our Monday, November, 2025 issue).
The Executive Director of FIDA-Ghana, Susan Aryeetey, disclosed that the DV Fund had not been consistently financed, noting that many frontline responders, including shelters, legal aid providers and medical practitioners, continued to operate without adequate support.
Truth is that by not providing the necessary funding impacts severely survivors of domestic violence, women’s empowerment programmes and the ministry’s ability to coordinate national responses on gender, child protection and social welfare.
For survivors, the funding cut means fewer functioning shelters, limited psychosocial and legal support, and a continued delay in implementing the free medical care provision guaranteed under the Domestic Violence Act.
Presently, it is on record that the only functioning shelter for abused women and children is privately owned by the Ark Foundation.
Although the government has three shelters scattered around the country, they are not fit to protect an abused person who needs a safe space to hide from their perpetrators but these shelters also house other people such as trafficked persons, missing children, street children, among others.
When the DV Fund is adequately resourced, it will provide room for such safe spaces to be built for persons, especially women and their children who need a temporary shelter away from their homes where an abuse is taking place.
The Daily Graphic adds its voice to the calls for the DV Fund to be adequately resourced in the 2026 budget and beyond.
The paper also calls for the creation of a support network for victims of domestic violence to help them feel less isolated and more empowered.
There is the need to raise awareness about domestic violence to help reduce stigma and promote a culture of understanding and support.
The paper believes that supporting victims of domestic violence requires a collective effort.
By providing a safe space, offering resources, believing survivors and holding perpetrators accountable, we can make a difference.
We call on all to work together to create a society that supports and empowers victims of domestic violence, rather than perpetuating the cycle of abuse.
Together, we can break the silence and create a brighter future for those affected by domestic violence.
