Sekondi, July 25, GNA- The Western Regional Office of Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), has called for the establishment of more domestic violence courts to provide justice to the vulnerable in society

This effort, it believed, would also ensure speedy trial of cases from the unit.

The Western Regional Coordinator of DOVVSU, Superintendent Setina Aboagye, who made the request, also complained inadequate office space to handle investigations and confidentiality between DOVVSU and victims.

She was speaking on domestic violence at a media meeting for the campaign for youth- oriented and gender sensitive topics at Sekondi, in line with the implementation of the Twin Cities in Sustainable Partnership Project (TCSPP) to solicit and share information from stakeholders.

Supt. Aboagye also appealed to District Assemblies to assist the Unit in the provision of offices for the smooth running and administration of DOVSSU, revealing that “we started building some structures but, it has come to a standstill.”

She noted “Indeed, the government has opened domestic violence courts, but we have few of such courts in Ghana. So, we are pleading that more of such courts can be opened for us to send those cases where the victims will feel comfortable and also ensure confidentiality.

“At our office, we have about five or four investigators sitting at one place. So, how can we ensure confidentiality? How can people feel so good to come and narrate their stories to anybody in an open office?”

Violence in all forms, the DOVSSU Coordinator showed participants, has negative consequences on the victim and also hampered the development of society and promoted poverty, in the long term.

Domestic violence, Supt. Aboagye explained, was defined as any act of violence that was likely to cause pains to the body to affect someone psychologically, physically or sexually.

Again, she told participants that, domestic violence could only happen between people who had special relationship like married couples, those who are just in relationship, maybe boyfriend- girlfriend relationship, those with broken marriages, teacher -parent, teacher -students relationship or parent -children relationship.

“The form of physical violence is inflicting bodily pains to the victim, and we also have psychological or emotional violence, which affects the mind of the person. And this violence is very dangerous because sometimes you cannot see with your naked eyes, but you know, sometimes when people are narrating the story, we don't want to believe these people.” she added.

Supt. Aboagye, however added that, the underlying wave was in the sexual activity, which was not about rape alone, saying “but, we have other forms of sexual violence or any sexual activity with any person without the consent of that person.”

“When it comes to defilement, the law says that even when the child consents to the sexual act, you have committed an offense,” she said.

Touching on the statistics, the Coordinator reported that, from January to May, this year, DOVVSU recorded 263 cases out of which assaults alone had 79 cases, defilement 25, rape, two, offensive conduct 44, threat of death 10, threat of harm 28, and causing damage 17 cases, while failing to supply necessities of life was 24.

She advocated a collaboration between DOVVSU and other partners like the Department of Social Welfare, Ghana Education Service (GES), the District Assemblies and Regional Security Council (REGSEC), to provide security for the public especially the vulnerable.

Supt Aboagye stated “Domestic violence is really happening in homes. In some cases, fathers have sex with their girl child or impregnate a stepdaughter. In this case how is such a baby going to call the father, grandpa or daddy.”

“Some of these cases are before the court and, we don't even know what to do with the victims; their mothers are devastated. The father is in prison, sometimes even what the victims will eat is a problem,” she again lamented.