By Eunice Hilda A. Mensah/ Delphina Addo-Dankyi
Accra, Jan.31, GNA – Ms Mary Ohenewaa Afful, a Human Rights Lawyer, has called on government, politicians, religious bodies, corporate organisations, donor agencies, international organisations and the public to support her to fight domestic violence which is becoming endemic in Ghana.
She said Ghana was having a high rate of domestic abuse in marriages and/or intimate partner violence, high rate of defilement cases of indecencies thus sexual intercourse with children below 16 years and other domestic and sexual violence cases in both children and adults leading to severe legal and psychological consequences.
In most cases, she said death, permanent injury or disability; insanity and health related problems and mental health disorders became the end result.
“How long can we continue neglecting this major crisis? And it seems to me that no one, I mean no none seems to be interested or bothered about this epidemic,” she said.
Ms Afful made the appeal when she outdoor fliers on criminal offences that bothered on domestic/sexual violence/abuse and their maximum jail terms and an abuse book for children titled, “SAY NO to Child Abuse” for those between four and nine years in Accra.
The book is to enable children know and identify abuse and report same to their caregivers, including teachers and help to reduce domestic and sexual violence cases among children especially on the high rate of defilement cases.
“Why do we sit unconcerned for our little children to be defiled on a daily basis? Why? What is really going on, on the ground that most unsuspecting men will choose to defile little children? We need to sit up as a country and address these issues holistically,” she said.
Ms Afful said it was not enough to arrest and prosecute offenders and make them suffer the penal consequences.
“My problem is the victim of abuse. What happens to them and the damage caused to their persons and the violation of their personal boundaries? How do they handle their health and perhaps the psychological implications? How do they handle their pain and anger herein after being referred to as psycho traumatology?
“How do they handle their post traumatic experiences? Are victims of abuse able to stop the cycle of abuse or violence? Are they aware of any coping mechanisms and other psychological health such as psychotherapies? When will section 8 (3) of the Domestic Violence Act, 2007 (Act 732) on free medical care by the State for victims of abuse be implemented? She asked.
Ms Afful, also a Feminist Activist, had earlier launched a 162-page book titled: “Preventive Crime – Law, Abuse & Psychology”, and “Child Abuse Identification & Mandatory Reporting Guidelines”, which are training manuals for teachers, pastors, heads of institutions, community heads, organisations, groups and students in higher education.
She appealed to all benevolent institutions, individuals, government institutions and donor agencies to support her to print at least 10 million copies of the preventive crime fliers and one million copies of the abuse books to be freely distributed to children.
GNA