Be bold to report any abuse during the lockdown – Aba Oppong

Aba Oppong, a child rights activist, has called for women and children to bold to report to the appropriate authorities any form of abuse they suffer during the period Ghanaians have been asked to shelter in place.

Victims of domestic violence, should refuse to suffer in silence and expose offenders.

She said the anxiety and frustration of many as a result of the imposition of restriction on movements could push them to maltreat their wives and children at the least provocation.

Madam Aba Oppong, who is the Executive Director of Rights and Responsibilities Initiative Ghana (RRIG), an NGO, working to promote the growth and development of children, made the call when she spoke to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Kumasi.

She said although these were abnormal times that should sober everybody and bring the best out of “our common humanity, issues of domestic violence will continue as long as abusers do not get a change of mind”.

The battle against the flu-like pathogen, should however, not make the society turn a blind eye to acts of abuse in a domestic setting.

Violence either physical, verbal, emotional, economic, religious, reproductive or sexual, could not, and must never, be overlooked, she added.

Madam Aba Oppong encouraged all Ghanaians to follow science and experts advice to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

She believed that the nation could win the battle against the virus of everybody adhered to prevention protocols – washing of their hands under running water, social distancing and respiratory hygiene.