Int’l Day Against Violence: 'My looks and appearance are mine, don’t touch' – Women speak up

Although it is recognized that sexual harassment and rape affects both sexes, women and girls tend to be disproportionately affected the more.

A lot of women do not report violence against them to people or governmental organizations in charge of such cases because of the stigma and shame that comes with it sometimes.

But today, some bold women have taken to the streets of Accra to speak up on the canker that has been eating them up or better still, eating most women up in the country.

As the world celebrates International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women today, November 25, 2019, Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF-Ghana) has waded into the fight against persons who abuse women in various forms by standing at vantage points in Accra, specifically, Ridge and Kwame Nkrumah circle with placards to relay information to the public; a way to clamp down on the increasing report of violence against women in the country.

In championing the fight against violence at the workplace, WiLDAF-Ghana noted that a female’s looks and appearance in public are solely hers, hence, males should refrain from their 'habitual' touching of girls, especially the pretty and curvy ones.

On a placard to restrain men from sexually violating women, it indicated that "my looks and appearance are mine, don’t touch".

Among other inscriptions on the placards were; “Women deserve better treatment at work,’ ‘Real men don’t hit their wives, ‘Domestic violence can kill’.

According to the National Programme Coordinator, WiLDAF Ghana, Melody Darkey, this action taken by the group is to set the tone for a renewed conversation and discourse on gender-based violence generally, and sexual harassment and rape specifically.

“The last couple of years has seen a global momentum on combating sexual assault in the workspace. 2019 also witnessed the adoption of the International Labour Organization Convention on Violence and Harassment Convention. (ILO C190) In Ghana, DOVVSU, the Police generally, and other law enforcement agencies have recorded increased numbers of sexual offences annually. There has also been increased media publications of sexual assault including the most recent BBC exposé on alleged Sexual Harassment and abuse of power by some lecturers at some public universities in West Africa including Ghana. All of these and more provide the needed impetus to call for a commitment to ending Sexual Harassment and Rape in Ghana,” Melody Darkey stated.

The group are, however, calling on government to allocate and transfer funds into the Domestic Violence Fund to provide free medical care amongst other efforts to support domestic and other gender-based violence survivors as stipulated in the sections 8(3) and 29 of the DV Act, 2007 and amended in its LI 2237.

They are also pleading for the prioritization of the safety of domestic and other gender-based violence survivors by providing shelters and crisis centres to address some of their immediate needs.