Crime & Punishment of Friday, 1 August 2008

Source: GNA

Don't settle rape/defilement cases at home - Police

Winneba (C/R), Aug. 1, GNA - Winneba Municipal Police Commander, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Jordan Quaye, has appealed to heads of families not to settle defilement and rape cases at home because they are serious offences.

ASP Quaye, who made the appeal in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on Thursday, said information reaching his office indicated that some girls and women who suffer defilement and rape offences, kept it to themselves without reporting. He urged any girl or woman who had been defiled, raped, indecently assaulted or sexually harassed under any circumstance to report the matter to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) for the law to take it cause.

Mr Quaye appealed to parents to be patients to persons, who fell victims to rapists and rather assisted them to seek justice in court instead of blaming them. He urged parents or relatives of raped victims should not to accept any for of compensation from rapists to resolve rape cases.