Human resource practitioners schooled on SGBV
Human resource practitioners of institutions have been taken through training in how to handle and curb sexual harassment and gender-based violence (SGBV).
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The participants who were drawn from private and public institutions were urged to use strategies such as sensitisation, investigation, keeping records of findings, documentation, fair hearing, setting up non-discrimination policies where all employees sign and include questions on the abuse in their exit interviews.
Furthermore, the practitioners were encouraged to create a safe environment where cases could be reported without victimisation and to also create SGBV committees who would offer professional and non-biased services.
Clinical Psychologist, Ebenezer Korli, who spoke at the session held recently in Accra, advised that victims should be given the needed support and assistance before anything else.
The training was organised by Ufeministi Anyidado for Vulnerable Women and Children.
Damaged
He said that from his experience, he has seen victims who have been significantly damaged. “I'm using significantly damaged because we've had to help young boys who have been sodomised and you will clearly know that if some very significant help is not provided, they will be maimed for life. They would not want to share their experiences for a number of reasons,” Mr Korli said.
Mental challenges
He added that sexual and gender-based violence also triggered pre-existing mental health challenges.
“If somebody has a predisposition to a condition such as panic attacks, some phobias, depression, anxiety and the person happens to go through sexual abuse, harassment of some sort, the experience can trigger their health condition. And before we know it, people are having social phobias,” he said.
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He also mentioned that the issue of power dynamics should also be considered when handling sexual abuse cases, stressing that it was one of the reasons victims did not report perpetrators.
False claims
While navigating through how to deal with SGBV, Mr Korli urged the practitioners to be on the lookout for the possibility of false claims.
“I did my internship with the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, and there was this interesting case where a young lady basically coaxed a gentleman into her room, made advances at him, and as soon as he wanted to make a move, she said she had been raped.”
“If you are not careful, you will think what they are reporting is the truth. It could be a male or female and if you don’t have rules concerning harassment and violence in the workplace, before you know it, somebody is in trouble,” he said.
Legalities
On the legal front, Alex Nartey, a legal practitioner, said in managing sexual harassment, institutions needed to be broad-minded in their approach, stressing that it must encompass law, ethics, professionalism, culture and values.
“If you manage sexual-related issues short of some of these principles, you will fail. So it must be realistic.