Are child abuse cases really going down?
The sexual abuse of girls is quite prevalent in our society as the victims suffer mental and physical abuse as a result.
The trend in defilement and other rape cases reported shows that the victims brought up in burgeoning slums are more vulnerable. In these areas, girls are more exposed to sexual assault.
For instance in the case of Lucas Agboyie, who gained media attention for dragging a seven-year old girl to a kiosk, murdered her and then raped the corpse occurred at Kubekro No.1 near Atadeka, Ashaiman, a slum in Accra.
Because of the weak social welfare system in Ghana, victims who are often traumatised are left on their own without going through the necessary counselling or rehabilitation.
However the encouraging news is that the cases are reducing as well as other issues of domestic violence.
Chief Superintendent of Police Laurencia Wilhemina Akorli, the Coordinating Director of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), told the Ghana News Agency in Accra that the total number of domestic violence cases decreased from 18,356 in 2014 to 16,272 in 2015.
The statistics indicates that defilement cases reduced from 1,304 in 2014 to 1,196 in 2015; and rape cases also dropped from 337 in 2014 to 316 in 2015.
In 2014 a total of 1,283 men and 21 women were arrested as suspects of defilement, which dropped to 1,195 men in 2015 and no case against any woman.
The report also showed that out of the 16,272 cases in 2015, 1291 cases in court, 139 convicted and 26 cases have been acquitted and discharged.
It said 1157 are still under trial, 3316 cases closed and 10945 cases under investigation. 8179 men and 1468 women were arrested in 2015 for domestic violence charges.
The report said 7255 domestic violence cases within families were recorded in 2014 compared to 6645 cases in 2015.
In 2015: 13,465 women were victims of domestic violence as against 15,207 in 2014 while 2,807 male were victims of domestic violence in 2015 as against 3,149 in 2014.
The reduction of cases was as a result of DOVVSU partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection sensitisation programmes on domestic violence in various communities.
C/Supt Akorli said through the intervention people learnt about their rights and built the confidence to report cases.
DOVVSU said in 2014 15,404 males were suspected to have indulged in domestic violence as against 2,841 females.
In 2015, however the number dropped to 13,692 males as against 2,484 females.
The statistics indicated that men continue to be generally perpetrators of domestic violence while women continue to be victims even though the figures reduced.
Although DOVVSU through its sensitisation programmes educated the public about the problem more needs to be done.
A drop from rape cases from 337 in 2014 to 316 in 2015 although good, much remains to be done to ensure that the sheet is very clean.
Parents in areas in rape prone areas must be extra cautious in monitoring the activities of their female children and foster closer relationships with them in order for them to disclose to them anytime they are violated.
Rape victims must also be ready to speak out against the crime; the law enforcement agencies must live up to the expectation in curbing it, whilst the society must take up the responsibility of nipping it in the bud.
By Pomeyie Caroline
Source: GNA