Obuasi SHTS: ‘The NDC will not hesitate to take action’ – Gbande promises sanctions if allegations prove true

Sexual violence is inflicting a significant public health burden on Ghana, according to Dr Angela Dwamena-Aboagye, Executive Director of the Ark Foundation. She warned that the repercussions of such crimes extend far beyond the immediate victims, impacting their professional lives, personal relationships, and even the institutions they work within, as well as the country at large.

Speaking on Joy News' PM Express, Dr Dwamena-Aboagye emphasized that these costs are a direct and tangible public health issue for Ghana. Her concerns were sparked by Manasseh Azure Awuni's investigation into alleged sexual abuse cases involving female students at Obuasi Senior High Technical School. The investigation revealed that complaints had been lodged against the school headmaster months prior to his suspension.

Dr Dwamena-Aboagye stressed the importance of acknowledging the damage caused by sexual violence in order to establish systems that can provide adequate support to survivors. She pointed out that without this understanding, efforts to assist survivors would be inadequate and insufficient. Describing the conversation as "difficult," Dr Dwamena-Aboagye recalled her experiences working with survivors.

She expressed particular distress over the laughter that erupted during a discussion about an alleged incident at a chief's palace. This reaction, she said, caused survivors of abuse to feel invisible, affecting how institutions responded to their plight. Dr Dwamena-Aboagye highlighted that sexual violence is a global problem, with an estimated 80% of cases going unreported.

She cited fear of disbelief, stigma, weak support systems, and distrust of justice institutions as factors contributing to the high underreporting rates. For those who did speak out, she noted that the response needed to foster confidence that their complaints would be taken seriously. "We have a broken system, generally speaking, in Ghana when it comes to responding to survivors," she lamented.

Dr Dwamena-Aboagye questioned the effectiveness of response systems in schools. She advocated for a multi-layered approach to protection, extending from the national level through to regions, districts, and communities. Ghana already possesses laws, policies, and procedures to address sexual violence, but their implementation remains a challenge.

"We have tons of documents, tons, whether the laws and policies, the whatever procedures, they are there, paper upon paper. What do we do with it?" she asked. Dr Dwamena-Aboagye stressed that the commitment required to combat sexual violence extends beyond political will. Society as a whole must demonstrate the cultural and human will necessary to confront this issue head-on. "So we need to sit up."