Don’t die in silence; break your silence if you’re being abused by your partner – Men told

Two counsellors from the Ghana HIV and AIDS Network (GHANET), a leading civil society organisation (CSO) in the fight against HIV and AIDS in Ghana, have encouraged men to defy the status quo by speaking up when they suffer spousal abuse or abuse by their partners.

The two believe there is a need for men to break their silence and seek help, irrespective of how society perceives them.

Prince Amugi Nmai, an assistant counsellor, said one of the major reasons men are unable to report abuse is because society has perceived men to be strong.

He said it takes a courageous man to report cases of abuse.

He said men who report such things and speak against injustices perpetuated by women are seen as weak.

But he stressed the need and encouraged men to stand up against women who abuse them.

“It takes a courageous man to speak up against abuse. They allow society to determine how they should endure these abuses. We will, however, encourage our men to be bold, break the silence, and seek help when they are being abused by their spouses or partners.”

He said several are abused by their partners, and when confronted, they attribute it to different factors, including accidents.

Joana Amoo, the lead counsellor, said the reason why men fail to report these cases is that women have predominantly been known to be the victims of spousal abuse, thereby making reported cases of husband abuse almost nonexistent.

She went on to state that intimate partner abuse has serious consequences, including emotional trauma, physical abuse, mental instability, and, in some cases, death.

She said abuse could make the victim unproductive, trigger serious health concerns, and even damage the relationship with the children.

She added that some have also suffered psychological effects and have ended up in mental facilities.

The two were on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5 FM with host Kwabena Agyapong.

She stated that because of the way our culture is built and how we grow boys and men, they are rarely encouraged to speak up or seek help when necessary. However, to survive, they must shatter the silence.

With a membership of over 250 non-governmental organizations (NGOs), GHANET has a presence in every nook and cranny across the 16 regions of Ghana.

GHANET serves on the Governing Board of the Ghana AIDS Commission (which is under the Office of the President of the Republic of Ghana), and it is also represented at the Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (GFATM).