By: Joyce Kantam Kolamong
In the shadows of Ghana’s vibrant culture, a devastating reality persists: countless women and children suffer in silence, victims of sexual and gender based violence. The statistics are chilling – one in four women in Ghana will experience gender-based violence, leaving deep scars that may never fully heal. Behind closed doors, cries for help go unheard, and the cycle of perpetuation continues unabated. The lack of safe shelters and support services exacerbate the problem, leaving victims with nowhere to turn. It’s time to break the cycle of silence and provide a refuge for those who have nowhere else to go. Correspondent Joyce Kantam Kolamong sheds light on the heartbreaking reality of gender based violence in the Northern region, amplifying the voices of survivors and championing the critical need for a safe shelter to provide refuge, protection and empowerment.
REPORT
Faustina (not her real name), a 38-year-old trader, lives in a small village in the Tolon district of the Northern region with her abusive husband. For over ten years, she has suffered in silence, bearing physical and emotional scars from his abuse. Despite complaining to her family, Faustina received no help. Instead, she was advised to endure pain and suffering as a woman in marriage. Feeling alone, Faustina continued to suffer.
One fateful night, Faustina’s husband severely beat her, leaving her with life-threatening injuries. Feeling hopeless and trapped, Faustina thought of her three children and their right to a better life. With no choice but to flee, Faustina had been planning her escape for years. Her options were to stay and suffer or take a chance and leave. However, the only shelter in the Northern region was miles away in the Upper West region, and Faustina had no means to get there.
Faustina decided to stay for her children’s sake, suffering in pain, trapped in a cycle of violence, perpetuation and fear and hoping to survive until an opportunity for escape arose.
Similarly, a 15 year old Amina,(not her real name), from Kumbungu district, once had an exciting and vibrant childhood but it ended abruptly when her father began abusing her at age 13. The person she trusted most became her predator leaving her feeling ashamed, dirty and isolated. What started as accidental touches soon escalated into assault. From assault to sexual harassment, Amina lived in constant fear dreading her return home from school, unsure of what awaited her. She endured this horror for two years until her mother, who lived in Bono East region, was tracked and informed and Amina was taken away. Though she endured the unbearable pain and shame of being sexually abused by her own father, today, Amina is enjoying her childhood just like her peers. She is studying General Arts in one of the senior high schools in the Bono East region hoping to become lawyer in future.
Faustina and Amina, who shared their experiences on condition of anonymity and refused to be recorded, are unfortunately not alone in their suffering as their stories are all too common. Victims of Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) often find themselves trapped in a cycle of perpetuation, forced to return to their abusers due to a lack of family support and safe shelters. This cycle is devastating, which lead to further trauma, physical harm, and even death.
GENDER BASED VIOLENCE
Gender-Based Violence (GBV) is one of the most systemic and widespread human rights violations. The United Nations recognizes GBV not only as a horrific violation of human rights but also as a public health crisis and a major obstacle to peace and security and sustainable development. Gender-Based Violence manifests in various forms, from sexual harassment and abuse to femicide, child and forced marriages and female genital mutilation. It predominately affects women, and globally, one in three women experience physical or sexual violence at least once in their lifetime, and more than five women or girls are killed every hour by someone in their family. For many women and girls, no place is completely safe as violence invades their homes, schools and workplaces, including the emerging but alarming trend of violence in their digital lives. Gender-Based Violence is one of the most heinous human rights violations that target women and girls in all spheres of their lives. It robs them of their dignity, rights, livelihoods and cuts short their dreams of great future that they envisaged for themselves and families. The consequences are huge, affecting not victims only, but the nation in its agenda for development. The most worrying issue is the sexual exploitation and molestation of the Girl-Child which seemed to be on the increase.
Gender-based violence is a pervasive issue in Ghana, with alarming statistics revealing the extent of the problem. According to the Ghana 2016 survey on domestic violence, 27.7 percent of Ghanaian women had experienced at least one form of domestic violence, including physical, economic, psychological, social, and sexual violence. The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), report in 2021 Indicates that about 24.4 percent of women between 15-49 years’ experience intimate partner physical or sexual violence at least once in their lifetime. In addition, 19.2 percent of ever-partnered women aged 15-49 years’ experience intimate partner physical or sexual violence and 19.3 percent of women aged 20 to 24 years were first married or in union before their 18th birthday. About 16,000 cases of violence which is mostly against women were reported by the Ghana Police Service in 2020. Data from the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit in 2020 also pointed out that averagely 31.9 percent of Ghanaian women have faced one form of domestic violence or the other. It also reported that over 4,000 cases of domestic violence between March and May 2020 were recorded, highlighting the need for continued support and resources to address this issue. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated the incidence of SGBV as the lockdown measures heightened women and girls’ exposure to violence due to their spending more time at home with their abusers.
Northern Region and GBV
We cast our lens to a small village in the Savelugu municipality in the Northern region, where a young girl named Sanatu (not her real name) sat quietly in her classroom, in one of the public schools in the area. Her eyes cast down at the floor. She is just 14 years old, but her childhood had already been marred by the harsh reality of gender-based violence.
For Sanatu, the abuse began when she was just 8 years old. As she began to narrate her story, tears ran down her cheeks. A family member, someone she trusted, began to take advantage of her innocence. The abuse continued for years, leaving her with physical and emotional scars that would take a lifetime to heal.
Sanatu’s story is not unique. According to a report by the Northern Regional Department of Gender, over 48 percent of women and girls in the region were sexually abused in 2018 while about 94 percent of children aged one to fourteen have experienced some gender-based violence. The numbers are staggering, but they only tell part of the story.
But Sanatu’s story is not just one of pain and suffering. It is also a testament to the resilience and strength of women and girls in the face of adversity. Despite the trauma she endured, Sanatu found the courage to speak out, to seek help and support from her teachers who intervened.
Sanatu’s story is a reminder that gender-based violence is not just a statistic or a news headline. It is a harsh reality that affects real people, real families, and real communities. As Sanatu sat quietly and looks to the future, she knew that the emotional and psychological trauma would remain a long lasting nightmare but she is determined to sail through.
In Northern Ghana, where there is a blend of Islam and traditional practices, violence against women abounds because some individuals have taken things out of proportion and most of the time, GBV goes unreported. The situation is even more dire for women and girls in the Northern Region. Northern Sector Action on Awareness Centre, NORSAAC, an NGO based in Tamale, received about 40 reported cases of Sexual and Gender Based violence between 2020 and 2023. The cases included child labour which had the highest cases of 12, child abuse, 11, child parents 6, domestic violence 4, school dropout-4, and sexual violence with 3 cases. In the region, rape, sexual assault and domestic violence are significantly underreported. This is staggering, highlighting the need for increased efforts to prevent and address GBV against women and children in Ghana.
The Northern Regional Office of the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit, DOVVSU, received 227 cases of sexual and gender based violence. Of this, defilement recorded the highest number with 149 cases, followed by rape with 49 cases, indecent assault with 26 cases and Unnatural canal knowledge with 3 cases. The report showed that 126 of defilement cases are under investigation, 2 cases were acquitted and discharged, 19 cases awaiting trial, 2 cases convicted while 23 cases are in court
Its Regional Coordinator, ASP Mrs. Vicentia Aboagye, revealed that physical assault/abuse is commonly reported to the unit. She said cases are underreported and expressed worry that the unit has become the last resort for victims.
The Role of Cultural/Traditional Practice/Religious Institutions in Perpetuating Gender-Based Violence
In the Northern Region, a culture of silence surrounds gender-based violence. Many cases go unreported due to cultural and religious beliefs that view Gender Based Violence, GBV, as a private matter or a family issue. Survivors of GBV often fear being stigmatized or shamed by their communities, families, or religious leaders. This fear prevents them from speaking out and seeking help.
Memunatu Adam, a 51 year old farmer from a small village at Nanton, narrates how her 25-year-old step-daughter, experienced this firsthand. She says her step-daughter was married off at a young age and suffered years of physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her husband. According to her, despite her suffering, her step-daughter never reported the abuse. She feared being ostracized by her community and losing the only life she knew.
It was not until her daughter’s husband nearly took her life that she found the courage to escape.
Many women in Northern Region suffer in silence, their voices muted by cultural and religious norms and trapped in the cycle of perpetuation and violence. Many families are witnesses to the abuse of their daughters in marriages but they choose to remain silent because they fear that speaking out would bring shame to their family and damage their reputation in the community
Similarly, in the heart of many communities, religious institutions like churches and mosques are revered as sacred spaces where people seek solace, guidance, and spiritual growth. Unfortunately, some of these institutions can perpetuate gender-based violence (GBV) through their teachings, practices, and attitudes. Many devout Christian women seek refuge in the church after they experience assaults and abuses in their marriages. However, instead of finding solace, most churches blamed them for the situation. Pastors often tell these victims to resort to prayers and be a more submissive wife failing to provide them with the support and resources they desperately need, leaving them feeling isolated and vulnerable.
Again, most Muslim women, also face similar fate. When they seek help from mosque, they are told they need to obey their husbands and prioritize their family’s honor over their own well-being.
The perpetuation of GBV by religious institutions is often rooted in patriarchal attitudes and misinterpretations of religious teachings. Some churches and mosques reinforce harmful gender stereotypes, blaming victims for their situation and failing to hold perpetrators accountable.
However, there is hope for change. Some religious institutions are beginning to recognize their role in perpetuating GBV and are taking steps to address it. They are providing education and awareness about GBV, supporting victims, and promoting gender equality.
Addressing GBV, A Call for a Safe Shelter
Though the government has taken steps to address GBV, the absence of a safe shelter in the Northern region, remains a glaring gap. Without a secure place to stay, victims are left vulnerable, reliving the horrors they sought to escape. Imagine a place where victims of GBV could find refuge, a safe haven where they could heal, receive support, and start anew. A place where their children could feel safe, and their future could be rewritten. Establishing safe shelters for victims of GBV is not just a moral imperative; it is a crucial step in breaking the cycle of perpetuation. These shelters would provide a secure environment for victims to escape abuse, access to medical care, counseling, and legal support, Opportunities for education, skills training, and economic empowerment and a community of survivors, fostering solidarity and hope.
Northern Regional Director of the Department of Gender, Mrs Bushira Alhassan, said the issue of safe shelter for victims of GBV, has been a grappling one and has become one of a big challenge. She said during a national stakeholder dialogue to celebrate the sixteen days of Activism in 2023, her outfit together with other stakeholders urged the Regional Coordinating Directors to help with structures to support survivors of GBV but that has not yet happened. Madam Bushira said the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection is doing its best to get a structure but will need the government and stakeholders in that regard.
“Issues of a safe shelter for victims of gender based violence or survivors of gender based violence is lacking in Northern region. There are instances where a case is reported, the victim has to be rescued from the family or the area where the incident happened and then kept at a place so that when the issue is addressed, the person is taken back but we do not have such a shelter and so usually when it happened and the person is rescued, there is no place to keep her and sometimes you are compelled to take her back to where she is coming from”
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Mrs. Aboagye emphasized the importance of women speaking out against abuse, rather than suffering in silence. She also stressed the need for a shelter to support these women.
“It is a step in the right direction because we here as an institution, we do not have a shelter. The social welfare department does not have a shelter. The only shelter they have is for children below 12 years. So if we get a child or receive a case involving a child who is missing but found and the child is above 12 years, this comes as a problem because a child who is in contact with the law is not in conflict with the law, so we can not send this child to the cell.
So if they get a shelter for adult, it will be very good. Most of the victims or survivors, when they report cases, they do not have anywhere to go and some of them report that the perpetrator sometimes threaten that if they go back they would be killed. It is a problem so a shelter is a step in the right direction”.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) address Gender-Based Violence (GBV) under Goal 5, which encourages all countries to eliminate violence against women and girls and focuses on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls. It also aimed at eliminating all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation as well as various forms of GBV, including physical, sexual, and psychological violence. The SDGs emphasize the need to protect women and girls from violence and promote their safety and well-being.
Conclusion
The life and dignity of people especially women and girls, is what makes shelters extremely important otherwise innocent souls would be lost. The government can save lives and prevent further trauma, and support victims in rebuilding their live. Faustina, Amina, Sanatu and Memunatu’s step daughter’s stories can be rewritten, but only if stakeholders act. We can break the cycle of perpetuation and create a future where victims of SGBV can find safety, healing, and hope. Establishing safe shelters is a crucial step towards a Ghana where everyone can live free from violence and fear.q1
