Statistics from the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) in the Northern Region revealed that, 667 cases were reported last year, with 544 females and 132 being male victims.
Addressing participants, the Deputy northern regional minister Alhaji A.B.A Fuseini who spoke on behalf of the northern regional minister, urged district police commanders and station officers to assist curb the incidence of sexual and gender-based violence in the region.
Alhaji A.B.A Fuseini said the scaling up of the training to the district commanders and station Officers is to increase the knowledge and skill base of the Ghana police service on sexual and gender-based violence and also to equip the officers with knowledge and skill to be able to monitor officers in charge of such issues to ensure sustainability. He said this during a sensitization workshop for district police commanders and station officers.
The minister mentioned that a Regional Technical Team (RTT), Comprising institutions such as the Ghana Health Service, DOVVSU, Department of Gender, the National Youth Authority (NYA) and the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) as the coordinating office has been established to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect.
A similar workshop was organized in 2014 for DOVVSU Desk Officers and investigators in the region, which has yielded very good results. Reporting of Domestic Violence cases which used to be a challenge in the region is gradually becoming a thing of the past he added.
In January 2015 alone, 75 cases of Sexual and Gender-based Violence were reported to the DovvsuHeadquarters in Tamale.
Speaking to Zaa news, the Deputy Chief of Police (DCOP) Ken Yeboah reveals that the prevalence of some cultural beliefs and practices in the region leads to the molestation and abuse of women and children of which they always find difficult to report. According to him, some women fail to report due to the fear of destroying their marriage.
DCOP further mentioned that the poor maintenance of children affects the growth and development of the children both physically and psychologically.
Victims of reported cases should be dealt with, he added. He therefore advised victims to always as a matter of importance provided witnesses to such crimes in order to facilitate a smooth investigation on cases reported.
Northern Regional Coordinator of DOVVSU, ASP Holortu Emmanuel on his part said the unit has observed that police investigators are not conversant with the new laws they are being trained to apply on the ground hence the need to organize this workshop to enhance and update their capacity in areas of gender-based violence, domestic violence and all issues of violence in the domestic setting.
According to him, the northern region for the past six years has not recorded any case of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) which is not a guarantee that it does not exist.
BY: Lilian Walter Daborikuu/zaaradio.com
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