The world is observing 16-Days of Activism Against Gender-Based violence
Ratify the ILO Convention 190, ActionAid Ghana appeals to the government
The Ghana Police Service has been commended for the swift action on one of its own after the police officer was alleged to have sexually harassed a woman in her car in a viral video.
According to ActionAid Ghana, this is a testament that the rights of Ghanaians, especially women, will continue to be protected under this administration.
"ActionAid Ghana has been keenly following proceedings on the alleged sexual harassment case involving a police officer in Sunyani in the Bono region and wishes to commend the Ghana Police Service for taking swift actions to ensure the law is enforced and safety of Ghanaians, especially women, is protected.
"As an organization that has been working over the last 30 years to eliminate violence against women and protect women from sexual harassment and assault, we believe that this alleged breach of Sections 84 and 103 of the Criminal Offences Act 29, which deals with assault and indecent assault respectively, should be pursued with all seriousness and alacrity," a statement said.
In late November, a 10-second video on Twitter showed how the policeman, identified as General Lance Corporal Victor Antwi Yeboah, with Service No. 51530, with the Regional Operations Unit, Bono Regional Police Command, sexually mistreated a distressed lady in a car.
The clip showed the lady sitting in the car's passenger seat with the door open while the police officer, who seemed to be kneeling beside the lady, had his head on her thighs as though he was kissing them. He then moved his hands over his victim's thighs heading to her private part.
But the lady who wasn't happy with what was happening kept asking her attacker, "What are you doing? What are you doing?"
In what continued to transpire between the lady and the policeman, the policeman could be heard threatening to physically abuse the lady if she did not stay still.
"If you do, I will slap you; you will never forget," was what he said while touching her in unwanted places.
After the video went viral, the police administration went into action, later announcing through a statement that the said officer had been arrested.
This, ActionAid Ghana's Acting Country Director, John Nkaw, said, is a bold and progressive step.
"ActionAid Ghana is concerned about the increasing rate of violence, harassment and assault against women and girls. It is even more worrying that such incidences are sometimes perpetrated by officers who are mandated to protect people and indeed should be the vanguard of the ongoing campaign against sexual harassment and other forms of gender-based violence," he wrote.
Available statistics from the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DoVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service indicates that as of August 2021, 31.9% of women had faced at least one form of domestic violence -physical, economic, psychological, social or sexual.
These statistics, the statement added, are alarming and are indicative of the worrying prevalence of violence against women in the country.
They, therefore, called on the country to ratify the ILO Convention 190 on ending sexual violence and harassment in the world of work.
"Again, it is unfortunate that this case has been recorded at a time that the world is observing this year's 16-Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. This incident of alleged sexual harassment and assault involving the police officer is a classic example of why the government of Ghana, who is a member of the International Labour Orgnanisation (ILO), needs to take immediate steps to ratify the ILO Convention 190, which seeks to end violence and harassment in the world of work.
"We believe that Convention 190, which is a first international treaty to recognize the right of everyone to a world of work free from violence and harassment, including gender-based violence and harassment, will provide better protection for Ghanaians and address the gaps in some of the country's existing legislative and policy frameworks on violence and harassment," it added. Read Full Story
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