Two-day Workshop on Domestic Violence for media personnel opens

Takoradi, Dec. 22, GNA - The Deputy Western Regional Minister, Madam Betty Busumtwi-Sam, has said there was increase in violence against women despite the Domestic Violence Act passed in 2007.

She said the reports came from the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU), Department of Social Welfare and the courts. Madam Busumtwi-Sam said this when opening a two-day training workshop on Domestic Violence and Ethics reporting for 30 journalists from the Western and Central regions at Takoradi.

The Workshop was organized by the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs in collaboration with the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA). Madam Busumtwi-sam said analysis of data from the institutions showed that women were subjected to more risks in their own families. She said though over 50 per cent of the cases of assault and injuries are directly linked to marriage, in the rest of cases, the victims do not have any relationship with the aggressor.

Madam Busumtwi-Sam said the women were beaten because they did not wan= t to comply with the orders of their husbands especially when it concerns the provision and sharing of the house-keeping money. She said violence against women was a pervasive human rights violation= , a public health crisis and an obstacle to equality and development. Madam Busumtwi-Sam said 93Let us all eliminate all forms of violence and discrimination against women", adding that it was the responsibility of t= he media to assist the government to reduce the rising rates of such immorality.