Domestic violence cases decreased from 18,356 in 2014 to 16,272 in 2015, Chief Superintendent of Police Laurencia Wilhemina Akorli, the Coordinating Director of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) National Secretariat has revealed.

In 2015; 13,465 women were victims of domestic violence as against 15,207 in 2014 whilst 2,807 males were victims of domestic violence in 2015 as against 3,149 in 2014 C/Supt Akorli said in an interview.

She said the reduction was as a result of DOVVSU partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection sensitisation on domestic violence in various communities.

C/Supt Akorli said through the sensitization programmes people learn about their rights and build the confidence to report cases as well as child protection practices.

In 2014, 15,404 males were suspected to have indulged in domestic violence as against 2,841 females.

In 2015, however the number dropped to 13,692 males as against 2,484 females.

The statistics indicated that men continue to be generally perpetrators of domestic violence while women continue to be victims even though the figures are reducing.

On defilement cases also reduced from 1,304 in 2014 to 1,196 in 2015; and rape cases dropped from 337 in 2014 to 316 in 2015.

In 2014 a total of 1,283 men and 21 women were arrested as suspects of defilement, which dropped to 1,195 men in 2015 with no female.

The statistics on unlawful removal of children increased from 239 in 2014 to 343 in 2015.

There was also an increment in abduction cases from 326 in 2014 to 339 in 2015; and 5,127 cases of non-maintenance was recorded in 2014 as against 4,679 cases recorded in 2015.

In 2015, 1806 threats were issued, 798 males and 223 females were arrested. 1482 cases are still under investigation and 176 cases are closed.

The statistics said 5,348 assault cases were recorded in 2014, which jumped to 5,494 cases in 2015; and in 2014, 174 indecent assault cases were recorded in 2014 which dropped to 167 in 2015.

In 2015, 325 men were victims of stealing and 414 were suspects of stealing and 319 women were victims of stealing and 227 were suspects of stealing.

The report showed that there was no record of assault by imprisonment (domestic detention), murder, exploitative child labour or attempted kidnapping in 2015.

Although domestic violence cases generally reduced in 2015, child trafficking cases increased from two in 2014 to 11 in 2015.

The report recorded that out of the 16, 874 cases in 2015, 1,291 cases are still in court, 139 have been convicted, 26 have been acquitted and discharged, 1,157 are still under trial, 3,316 cases have been closed and 10,945 cases are under investigation.