The Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of Akropong- Akuapem in the Eastern region has hosted its working partners from the Domestic Violence and Child Rights in the United Kingdom (UK) together with pupils from the Awukugua Methodist Primary Six (6).
The visit provided the two groups with the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the operations of DOVVSU including its approach towards handling cases.
Chief Superintendent Bismark Agyapong, Divisional Police Commander for the Akropong-Akuapem District in addressing the students on the laws and acts surrounding the operations of the DOVVSU and their respective abuses, stressed on the various kinds of abuse inherent in Ghanaian society including emotional abuse, physical abuse, verbal abuse, psychological abuse, etc.
Chief Superintendent Agyapong who regretted the frequent cases of sexual abuse in most of the country’s schools cautioned teachers to desist from such acts which affected the students.
“Sexual abuse especially in schools is becoming rampant,” the Chief Superintendent bemoaned. “Teachers have no right in any form to abuse or harass any student especially female students.”
He also challenged female students to report such cases of sexual harassment of any form by teachers to the DOVVSU outfit for redress.
“You should therefore report such teachers to the DOVVSU Unit or the Police to arrest teachers who indulge you in such acts for the law to take its course irrespective of the title or rank of that teacher,” he stressed.
The Chief Superintendent further advised teachers to desist from such acts with students since they are role models to the children and hence the need to protect students rather than abusing them.
On her part, Chief Inspector Eunice Afelipok Atinya, station officer for the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of Akropong- Akuapem lauded the visit of the pupils to the office which she said fell in line with the duty of the police to build strong relationships with the public.
She described the action of the pupils as significant since it was the first time that pupils) had that courage to visit a police unit to learn against the general impression that the police are not public friendly.
Chief Inspector Eunice Afelipok Atinya urged the public to be more police friendly especially the DOVVSU since the aim of the Unit is to unite families and not to jail the citizenry.
Mr. Beverley Philip Lean, a Social worker and a Counsellor with the Domestic Violence and Child Rights in the United Kingdom (UK) entreated the DOVVSU Unit to promote gender equality so as to minimize cases of domestic abuse in the of one and another. He stressed that, in most foreign countries, corporal punishment of students constitutes and therefore students are counseled instead.
He thus urged the unit and teachers to avoid corporal punishment in schools and homes as part of corrective measures.
The Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit [DOVVSU] of the Ghana Police Service is a one-stop centre of services for victims of abuse and others.
This unit was set up by the government to help the Police Service to address the situation of domestic violence and has become an important avenue for many women and children, who are victims of domestic violence.
The unit also assists victims of various forms of violence including non-maintenance of children, sexual abuse – rape and defilement, physical assault, indictment assault and fraud.
Source: Joyce Bedeley/ritefmonline.org/jbedeley9357@gmail.com
