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Regional News of Wednesday, 25 September 2019

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

AmaCares embarks on child sexual abuse awareness campaign at Sekyere-Kwamang

Benedicta Ama Batcho, Founder and CEO of AmaCares with some of the students Benedicta Ama Batcho, Founder and CEO of AmaCares with some of the students

AmaCares, a non-profit organization that advocates against child sexual abuse, has engaged students of Sekyere-Kwamang in the Ashanti region on how to avoid falling victims to sexual misconduct and the need to report perpetrators to authorities.

The schools included the Seventh Day Adventist Junior High School, District Assembly Junior High School, Anglican Junior High School, Presbyterian Junior High School and Kwamang Senior High School.

Speaking to the students, Benedicta Ama Batcho, Founder and CEO of AmaCares stressed that no individual had the right to harass the other; adding that children should be bold enough to report cases of abuse instead of succumbing to threats from abusers.

She cautioned persons who seem to have had so much trust in some elderly personalities to the extent of finding comfort in being with them alone, to be mindful as they could be vulnerable in that regard.

Ms. Batcho further advised students who are culprits to desist from the act, emphasizing they would face the full rigorous of the law when caught.

Beyond the education and advocacy, AmaCares, according to the founder, has dedicated counselors and doctors who provide counselling services and treatment to victims of child sexual abuse.

“We don’t only seek to change community’s perception about the issue. Survivors are dear to our hearts. Due to the emotional and psychological trauma they go through as a result of the sexual abuse, provision has been made for counselors and doctors to attend to them accordingly. If anyone abuses you, speak out,” she stated.

A team of qualified medical doctors, including Dr. Godfred Oduro, Dr. Agnes Arthur, Dr. Suleman Abdul Samed and Dr. Ebenezer Frimpong Manso also educated the students on personal hygiene as well as the effects of child sexual abuse.

Prior to the workshop, AmaCares organized a free health screening for residents of Kwamang. The organization also made donations to the Kwamang Health Centre and Hope in Christ Foundation.