Mr Kofi Atimbire, a Chief Inspector at the Accra Regional Office of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), has advised complainants who report child abuse cases not to allow societal pressure persuade them to withdraw them for investigation and subsequent prosecution.
Mr Atimbire gave the advice in Accra on Tuesday, during the celebration of this year’s African Union Day of the African Child.
The event was held on the theme, ” Access to a Child-Friendly Justice System in Ghana”,which was organised by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and supported by the Information Ministry, United Nations International Children’s Fund, and other interest groups.
It formed part of activities marking the 30th Anniversary of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.
According to Mr Atimbire, complainants of child abuse cases were often pressurised by people they held in high esteem in the society to settle cases with the abusers at home.
This, he said, often leads to unending cycle of child abuse in the society.
“Whoever comes with a child that has been abused, whether physical, sexual and the others, after they have reported and evidence has been gathered and presentation made to the court ready for persecution, then you find these same people backtracking in pursuit of justice for these children.
“Sometimes the pressure mounted from chiefs, opinion leaders, elders and pastors on these complainants made them to discontinue with the cases,” he lamented.
With regard to challenges in prosecuting child abuse cases, Mr Atimbire mentioned late reporting of cases involving child abuses by parents and guardians and, thus, made gathering of evidence for prosecution difficult.
“Most of these cases are reported very late to us for investigations therefore most of the evidence that we needed to persecute, sometimes we find it difficult to get them, and that is the reality,” he said.
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He, therefore, advised parents to stop backtracking cases reported to the police to ensure that justice is served for children who had suffered abuse.
“Parents should endeavour to report to us as early as possible. Parents should also desist from the settlement of cases,” Mr Atimbre added.
Meanwhile, Mr Barimah Kwasi Amankwa, National Coordinator of the Ghana NGO Coalition on the Rights of the Child, in an address, said 3,198 children were impregnated between January and May, this year in the Central Region.
He called for concerted efforts by all stakeholders to protect children from abuse whilst perpetrators are made to face the full rigours of the law.
GNA
