Dr. Angela Dwamena-Aboagye, Executive Director of the Ark Foundation, has petitioned the IGP to elevate the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police to a Directorate. According to her, this will make DOVVSU more effective in handling its numerous and increasing cases of abuses.

“I’m thankful for what Hon. Afeku and a few people are doing. Next time they meet the IGP, can they tell him that we ask that they elevate DOVVSU to a directorate. There is no other police unit in Ghana that you see the number of cases that DOVVSU receives. And yet they are not willing to make such a directorate so it can be more effective in doing its work”.

She made this request whilst speaking on ‘The Law’ today. Meanwhile, she also appealed to the Minister of Gender to come to the aid of the Domestic violence secretariat. According to her, this is the secretariat that is coordinating all activities relating to abuses in the country.

“And secondly, the Minister of Gender needs to know that the Domestic violence secretariat needs a lot of help. I just put that in to show that our duty bearers are also failing to make them sit up”.

Furthermore, Dr. Dwamena-Aboagye indicated that domestic violence is a major issue in the country. According to her, violence traces its roots to culture and other beliefs. As a result, she indicated that the upbringing of people plays a key role.

Instances of domestic violence

She cited an instance where a woman was thrown out of her cohabited home by a man whom she had a child with. According her, this happened during the lockdown when the pandemic was having serious toll on individuals and businesses.

“It was a nightmare to rescue this woman. So, you see people who can’t sleep because they are thinking about what happened to them”.

Also, she cited another instance where a man, a judge, was subjecting her wife to severe abuses at home. She noted that the man locked the woman indoors and did not allow her to go out. He will only open the door a little to give her food whilst she sat on the floor all day.

Meanwhile, she lauded Ghana’s domestic Act as been one of the best. She indicated that it captures a lot of circumstances that can be deemed as domestic abuses.

“Ghana’s domestic violence act is a very unique kind of Act. It doesn’t look at only spouses; it looks at anybody within the domestic relationship. And anytime you think of domestic relationship, think about romance. Somebody you have a romantic relationship with-your spouse, your boyfriend, or somebody you may have a relationship with even though it’s not romantic”.

Scope of domestic violence

She enlightened that domestic violence is not only limited to a husband and wife but captures a wide range of domestic relationships.

Also, Dr. Dwamena-Aboagyeexplained that any violence against someone with whom you share a blood relationship constitute domestic violence. Such people include your brother, sister, uncle or cousin. Also, she indicated that the law treats violence against people who share the same residence or reside in the same house as domestic.

“So, the person may not be in a blood relationship or in a romantic relationship with you but once they shared a common residence. Like co-tenant in a house, security officer, landlord and tenant, domestic help and another person in that home. The law is that wide so that it can capture as many abuses as possible”.

Furthermore, she noted that the law on domestic violence covers cordial relationship or even those at the work place. She cited some examples of abuses such as verbal abuse, economic abuse, and psychological abuse. The law treats any act that makes a person constantly unhappy, miserable, ridiculed, afraid or depressed as an abuse. Depriving a person of rest could also constitute an abuse.