There is a public uproar in Ghana over the killing of two women by their abusive male partners this month.
Within 48 hours, the two women died after they were brutally assaulted by their partners.
In the first case, an Accra based business executive was arrested after he allegedly assaulted the wife, leading to his wife.
The second case involves a local area manager of the country’s Youth Employment Agency who has also been arrested after beating his girlfriend to death.
Police spokesperson for the Volta region Sgt. Prince Dogbatse told the media that in this particular case, the victim failed to report the matter to the police despite continuous abuse by the partner.
“In one of the cases, she was hospitalized but after she regained her health, she went to withdraw the case. There have been various instances where he had abused this lady” he said.
Statistics from the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit show that Ghana records over 3,000 cases of assault annually.
Ghana’s Ministry of Gender and Social Protection has launched an app and a service provision centre to support victims of domestic violence.
Director of Research at the Ministry Afua Anyamfo said the ministry took the steps to provide shelter for the victims of domestic violence especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In 2019, a Ghanaian multimedia company, EAA Media Production pushed for funding for Ghana’s domestic violence law.
The group launched a social media campaign with the hash tag #FundGHDomesticViolenceLaw, hoping to put pressure on the government to act.
Thousands of women, girls and men suffer domestic abuses monthly in Ghana but they don’t receive remedy under the country’s laws.
In a statement EAA Media Production said “Ghana’s Domestic Violence Law- Domestic Violence Act 2007 (Act 723)” and the “Domestic Violence Regulation 2016 (L.I 2237)” are not protecting victims enough due to lack of enforcement.
A Ghanaian lawyer, Martin Kpebu in 2016 sued the government for not activating “the Domestic Violence Fund and what comes with that – free medical care for domestic violence survivors.”
Last year during lockdown to deal with the coronavirus pandemic in many African countries there were reports of an increase in domestic violence cases.
With couples forced to stay indoor with partners without going out, many –women and men are falling victim to abuses.
Last year in Kenya the Human Rights Watch reported of a 16-year-old girl, who was held captive by a man and sexually assaulted.
Domestic violence cases surge in Africa amid Covid-19 lockdown
Source: Africafeeds.com
