More than 40% cases of gender-based violence not prosecuted – FIDA

More than 40 per cent of reported  gender based-violence cases  are not being prosecuted in court due to insufficient evidence and institutional weakness such as delays in handling the cases or transfers of security agents.

Mrs Eleanor Barnes-Botchway, a lawyer at FIDA, a non-partisan international federation of women lawyers, announced this at a two-day workshop, organised by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), on Monday at Elmina in the Central Region.

She expressed concern about increasing rate of domestic gender-based violence and a low rate of convictions, and stressed the need to arrest the situation.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Phyllis Osei , Coordinating Director at the National Secretariat of Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service,  said some violent acts remained unreported because the victims were either traumatised at the experience or feared they would be victimised.

She  said in child abuse cases, there was difficulty in building evidence for prosecution, inadequate sourcing of funds for medical treatment as well as lack of co-ordination between service providers.

DSP Osei  appealed to the Police, DOVVSU and stakeholders to collaborate towards fighting domestic violence.

Source: GNA