We Believe In Justice For Victim Of Abuse-ARC

A non-governmental organization (NGO), Abuse Relief Corps (ARC), committed to fighting sexual violence in Ghana, is making a strong case for barriers to be removed to engender justice for victims of sexual violence.

The group in an interview with Soireenews.com stressed the need to have a system where victims of sexual abuse could be assisted every step on the way till justice is served without any impediment.

A Girl Child Advocate, Ms. Janet Isoko in delivering her speech indicated that the one-day event was organised to create awareness of the existence of an advocacy group as ARC is ready to champion and facilitate the quest for justice for victims of sexual abuse

She further explained that when her outfit receives a request for assistance, they pay for the police medical report forms and assist the victim with financial support just to ensure that the survivours got access to post-assault care.

And that she said was a way to lessen the burden of survivours and their families.

"…We then provide continued support by offering transportation to and from courts, police stations, and hospitals and also pay for treatment costs", Ms. Isoko further explained.

Giving details of the project, she indicated that her outfit in October 2020, embarked on a project titled "Gender-Based Violence Management and Care" (GBVMC) in Ghana with sponsorship from United Nations International Children and Education Fund-Ghana(UNICEF) which project sought to map out handling of gender-based violence in Ghana from the identification of cases in our communities, reporting incidents to the police, medical attention for victims, and justice in the courts, shelters for victims, and rehabilitation of victims", she reiterated.

"It is important to highlight that this project seeks to identify loop holes in amongst various stakeholders collaborating in the fight against gender-based violence and implement strategies, and contribute to national policies that will make stakeholders more effective at management of gender-based violence as well as significantly reducing incidents of gender-based violence in Ghana", she stressed.

A gloomy picture of GBV was painted at the one-day sensitization programme demanding the involvement of all stakeholders in order to eradicate the canker which has eroded the very beauty of Justice for victims of sexual abuses.

In an exclusive interview with Soireenews.com, a Child and Victim Advocate and a Member of ARC, Ms. Jackline Adjoa Amponsah, opined that the time has come for victims of sexual abuses to treated with dignity and assisted to obtain justice.

According to her, most victims of sexual abuse loose out their patience as a result of frustrations from the process and the fact that getting assistance always becomes difficult, therefore the establishment of the ARC to facilitate the process.

She said their doors were open to everyone who had been sexually abused to call upon them.

ARC believed that when all stakeholders pool their resources and effectively collaborate, Gender-based violence (GBV) would be a thing of the past while ensuring that every child gets a deserve childhood, and as guarantee that every woman, a community where she could have dignity and peace of mind. 

"...the silent voices of survivours of gender-based violence are loud and we cannot afford to fail them. Together, we will make victims Victor's", ARC further assured.

The event which was on the theme ", Sexual and Gender-Based Violence: Case Management in Ghana was graced by the Director of Anti-Human Trafficking Unit, Ghana Police Service (GPS), Mike Baah, Queen Mother and Women and Children Rights Activist, Nana Hemaa Adwoa Awindor, Country Director, ARC, Mr. Boateng Bediako amongst.

Freeman Koryekpor Awlesu, Greater Accra Regional Correspondent