Members of the NGO and students
Missing Children Ghana, a non-governmental organisation dedicated to locating missing children in Ghana and reuniting them with their families, has encouraged students to show empathy to colleagues who go through any form of Gender Based Violence (GBV).
According to the NGO, school children, especially male students, have a crucial role to play in ending violence which most victims shy away from talking about due to the stigma involved.
They interacted with some student from selected Junior High Schools (JHS) in Accra on gender-based violence as part of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign,
The theme for the event was, “Boys and girls in the fight against Gender-Based violence”
The Executive Director of Missing Children Ghana, Regina Asamoah, urged students to listen to their peers who confide in them about their experiences and respect their decisions.
Ms Asamoah said that it is very rare for survivors of sexual assault and violence to invent false stories, and they often face stigma and disbelief from society.
“When girls/boys tell you about violence they have experienced in their lives, believe them. It is extremely rare for girls/boys to invent false stories about sexual assault and violence. You may be the first and only person she/he tells. Believe him/her and support his/her decisions, without being judgmental,” she stated.
She also encouraged the students to report any case of violence to the appropriate authorities and seek professional help if needed. She said that violence is a human rights violation and should not be tolerated or normalised.
“We believe that when we train our boys and our girls at this age, to understand gender-based violence, as they grow up, we are helping to address the issue. We don’t have to wait for them to grow up before we call them to educate them” she stated.
She also appealed to the parents and guardians of the children to support and believe them when they report cases of gender-based violence.
Psychologist, Lecturer and Gender Advocate, Dr. Dzifa Abra Attah, also urged the public to offer emotional support to survivors of abuse.
She lamented that many people are suffering from unresolved trauma and anger issues that affect their relationships and well-being.
By Nafisa Abdul Razak