Tamale DOVVSU expands facilities
Domestic violence occurs when a family member, a partner or an ex-partner physically or psychologically dominates through economic, sexual or emotional abuse. Domestic violence persists against men, women and children around the world.
Advertisement
In a report from 1999, the Gender Studies and Human Rights Documentation Centre found that one in three women in Ghana experienced physical violence. According to Actionaid Ghana, two in three women do not report experiences of abuse, especially sexual violence, suggesting that reported cases are grossly underestimated in terms of the prevalence of domestic violence.
According to the United Nations 2010 World Women’s report, the rate of women experiencing physical violence at least once in their lifetime, varies from up to over 59 per cent depending on where they live. Around the world, at least one in three women will either be physically or sexually abused during their lifetime.
Though governments as well as civil society groups have committed a lot of time and resources to the fight against domestic violence, the statistics keep on rising every year, and the 2005 Ghana Country Report, reveals that Ghana is among the countries that record high levels of gender based violence, including physical, psychological, economic and sexual abuse.
Records
Records available to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service, indicate that from the period 1999 to May 2010, 109 784 cases of domestic violence were reported, of which a greater portion was perpetuated against women.
Initially established as the Women and Juvenile Unit (WAJU) of the Ghana Police Service, the DOVVSU of the Ghana Police Services was established in 2005, to help address cases of abuse and violence against women and children in the domestic setting. Currently, the unit operates in all 11 police regions and has 52 offices nationwide.
To help deal effectively with cases of domestic violence and protect the rights of domestic violence victims, the Tamale DOVVSU has expanded it facilities.
The project, funded by the Northern Sector Action on Awareness Centre (NORSAAC); a gender-based non-governmental organisation (NGO), at a cost of GH¢17, 000, entails the provision of an additional room for the unit, which had only a two-unit office accommodation comprising an office for the regional coordinator and the investigation office, which affected the privacy and victimisation of victims.
Other Trending Stories
Inaugural ceremony
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the extension of the Tamale DOVVSU, the Northern Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Mr Kenneth Yeboah, said the constant interference in cases by traditional and religious leaders and opinion leaders was hampering the effectiveness of DOVVSU to work independently.
He attributed the increasing cases of criminal activities among the youth in the region to the interference in the operation of the police, pointing out that the police as a law enforcement body, had the responsibility to punish perpetrators who contravened the law and that appealing to the police to release suspects only encouraged the youth to commit more crimes.
He warned that the police would not succumb to interference from any quarters, but would make offenders face the full rigors of the law whenever they were found guilty, emphasising that the law was no respecter of persons.
Commendation
Mr Yeboah commended NORSAAC for coming to their aid and called on other philanthropists in the region to also come to their aid with the needed support.
The Executive Director of NORSAAC, Mr Mohammed Awal, in his address said the support was as a result of an appeal by the unit, adding that it also formed part of the organisation’s goals of protecting the rights of domestic violence victims.
He said the provision of an additional office for the unit would provide victims with better opportunity to share their stories with investigators, and to also feel secure and safe whenever they wanted to report such cases.