..on passage of li and dovvsu act

The Regional Coordinating Director of the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Brong Ahafo regional Police command, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sampson Agbeko has said that plans are far advanced for the passage of the Legislative Instrument to buttress the DOVVSU act 732 of 2007. DSP Agbeko made this pronouncement at a seminar organized by Action Aid Ghana on the passage of the Legislative Instrument (LI) of the DOVVSU ACT in Sunyani. He said Victims of Domestic Violence go through challenges due to the absence of the LI. He said the absence of resources to help victims and the training of staff in the Domestic Violence Act are some of the challenges facing the unit. He stated that the LI when passed will pave way for effective implementation of the DV Act and would take care of problems facing victims. The Brong Ahafo regional Minister Paul Evans Aidoo pleaded with the public to desist from stigmatizing victims of domestic violence but rather encourage them to report violence cases to the police early to avoid perpetrators from tampering with evidence. He appealed to family members as well as religious bodies and the media to help government in the education of the populace of the DOVVSU ACT. The Programme Officer of Action Aid Ghana, Brong Ahafo region, Kwame Afram Denkyira said since the organization is concerned with human rights issues, it has been working to eliminate violence against women and girls. He said they are collaborating with the media and other stakeholders to fight violence at homes. Mr. Kwame Afram said that between 1999 to May 2010, there were 109,784 reported cases of domestic violence, averaging about 10,000 cases every year in Ghana. Mr. Afram called on the Ministry of Gender and Social Protection and the Attorney General’s Department to collaborate to ensure the fast passage of the Legislative Instrument. For the organization to achieve its goal in the fight against injustice and inequity in society, Action Aid has formed Community Based Anti Violence Team (COMBAT) in some districts in the region.