Winneba (C/R), Nov.25, GNA - Domestic violence cases in the Effutu and Awutu-Senya districts in the Central Regional reduced drastically this year following constant education by officials of the Unit. Inspector Rebecca Offei Aryee, Head of Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service said this to the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Winneba. According to Inspector Aryee her outfit established in 2007, recorded a total of 46 domestic violence cases in the same year but reduced to 36 in this year. She said assault cases reduced from 27 in 2007 to 10 this year, while defilement cases rather increased from eight in 2007 to 10 this year.

Inspector Aryee said three of the culprits involved in the defilement cases in 2007 have been convicted, two acquitted and discharged for lack of evidence and three still under investigations. Out of the 10 defilement cases recorded this year, three have been convicted, two have been closed for lack of evidence, and four were still under investigation while one is pending in court, she said. Inspector Aryee said, three out of the 27 assault cases recorded in 2007 have been dealt with by the law court, 15 were under investigation, five disposed off for lack of evidence, and four were still pending in court.

Seven assaults out of the 10 cases recorded this year were under investigation, adding that the rest have also been disposed off for lack of evidence, she added. Inspector Aryee attributed most of the defilement cases to negligence on the part of some parents to cater for their adolescent girls, leaving them to fend for themselves. She said some men on the pretext of helping them financially lured the innocent girls into some places and defiled them, adding that it was an offence on the part of a parent to neglect a child.