Statistics gathered from the Women And Juvenile Unit (WAJU) of the Police Service indicate a sharp increase in various cases of violence against women and juveniles in the nation(quote)s capital, Accra. The cases are rape, defilement, assault and wife battery. As at the end of October, 1078 wife battery cases had been reported at the unit.

This represents more than 400% increase in the figure for the whole of last year, which stood at 232 for year 2000 and 95 for the year1999. Defilement cases reported also exceed 100% increase in last year(quote)s figures. This year the cases have already shot up to 425 from the figure of 204 recorded in 2001. In 2000 the children defiled numbered 181 while 154 victims were recorded the year before.

Similarly, rape cases reported had increased sharply as at October this year, to 117 as against 58 for the whole of 2001, 34 for 2000 and 23 for the year 1999.

Station Officer of the Unit, Chief Inspector Rita Narh told the Ghanaian Chronicle newspaper that Non Child Maintenance cases show a reduction: as at the end of October, 1,047 cases had been reported as against 1,383 for the full year 2001.

She said the upsurge in cases reported to the Unit could be attributed to a rise in public awareness of the existence of the unit.

She said that the unit would not relent in its efforts to promote programmes that address the consequences of crime against women and the exchange of reliable and adequate information from the public. According to the Station Officer, currently, they are planning to embark on more outreach programmes to create awareness among most Ghanaian citizens who are very ignorant in assault cases.

“Our strategies are to sensitise key decision makers, community leaders, educators and other stakeholders in society to educate schools; drivers and people in the densely populated areas in Ghana" She said this move would enhance the efforts the government and non-governmental organization are making to help the WAJU to tone down violence against women.