STATISTICS FROM the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service in the Brong-Ahafo Region indicate that domestic violence cases have reduced.
This, the Regional Coordinator of DOVVSU, DSP Setina Aboagye, attributed to lots of education on the need for the people to refrain from the brutish act.
Explaining the situation to DAILY GUIDE, Madam Setina Aboagye said her outfit recorded 864 cases of domestic violence in 2017 as against 1,162 the previous year – representing 34.5% decrease. Out of the above figure (864), 340 were non-maintenance whilst 173 were assault cases. Threats of death reached 46; rape, 10; stealing, 37; defilement, 36 and abduction, 35.
Others were offensive conduct, 22; causing harm, 10 unlawful ejection, 4; abandonment of the infant 6; criminal abortion, 3; indecent assault (prohibited sexual incursion towards a female without her consent), 4 and deprivation of property, 9.
According to DSP.Aboagye, abduction means an absentee parent stealing a child from his or her partner with whom the child is staying after a divorce or separation.
She said some men in the region still do not see the need to take care of their children and so the chunk of the violence is non-maintenance.
She said in matters of domestic violence, authorities only resort to mediation to solve the problem and not punishment; but stressed that when the perpetrator becomes recalcitrant, DOVVSU goes to the court for redress.
She said nowadays, a lot of men report domestic violence issues to her outfit but in most of such cases, the violence is psychological and not physical.
FROM Daniel Y Dayee, Sunyani