Executive Director of the Ark Foundation, Dr Angela Dwamena-Aboagye, says Ghana’s response to survivors of sexual violence is broken, with support systems failing those who need protection.
Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Monday during a discussion on the Obuasi SHTS case, she questioned whether schools had functioning systems to support survivors.
“So, yeah, we have a broken system, generally speaking, in Ghana when it comes to responding to survivors.”
Her assessment of support within schools was even sharper. “I don’t even think there’s a system running.”
Dr Dwamena-Aboagye said laughter during a replay discussed on the programme exposed attitudes that discourage survivors from speaking out. She questioned why people gathered at a chief’s palace would laugh while hearing an account involving a girl.
“That is the general attitude that invisibilizes people who go through such abuses, and that also affects the way institutions respond.”
She identified fear of disbelief, stigma and distrust of justice institutions as barriers to reporting abuse. A lack of support, feelings of guilt and close relationships with abusers also keep survivors silent, she said.
The consequences, she warned, extend beyond individual survivors. They can affect relationships and working lives, creating a public health cost for the country.
For her, an effective response must give survivors confidence that they will be heard.
“You need to give survivors the confidence that somebody will believe them, knowing already that they have found it very hard to come out and speak about it.”
She called for support systems stretching from the national level through regions and districts to communities.
But she questioned the value of policies and procedures that remain on paper. Ghana, she said, already had extensive documentation setting out how institutions should respond.
“What do we do with it?”
Dr Dwamena-Aboagye said the failure went beyond political commitment. It also reflected a lack of cultural and human resolve to confront sexual violence.
Addressing the NDC’s handling of the matter, she acknowledged the presumption of innocence. However, she said asking the person facing the allegation to step aside would help give survivors confidence in the process.
“I would have wanted them to let him step aside, you know, just so that they can free up the system, quote unquote, for whatever needs to happen to happen.”
Her call for action was blunt. “So we need to sit up.”