Women and child rights organisations in the Upper East Region are calling for the swift prosecution of a military officer who is alleged to have raped an 18-year-old girl in Bolgatanga, the regional capital.
Speaking to Asaase News, Fati Abigail Abdulai, the executive director of the Widows and Orphans Movement (WOM), a women-oriented organisation said she was devastated on hearing the incident adding that society has once again failed to protect girls.
“Apart from the rape, the trauma that will last for the rest of the victim’s life is a completely different issue that we hardly discuss. This trauma can affect her future relationships and personality, potentially making her an angry person for the rest of her life. I am once again disappointed that, as a society, we seem to have failed another person.”
Asaase News previously reported the horrifying story of an 18-year-old who was threatened, raped, and had nude photos taken of her by a military officer while she was on duty at a guest house. She had been employed only four days prior to this ordeal.
Abdulai called for psychological support for the survivor. She explained that this case, which has garnered national media attention, is just one among many instances of sexual abuse of girls and women in the Upper East Region. She noted that many of these cases remain hidden because “the community tries to cover them up. They either force the girl to marry the rapist or try to obtain some form of compensation from the rapist.”
Beyond community efforts to conceal these cases, Abdulai criticised the legal system, which she said is fraught with difficulties and redundancies that make it almost impossible for average families to seek justice.
She also highlighted the issue of societal attitudes, explaining that social upbringing contributes to the problem. “We are raising men to believe they have a right to a woman’s body. They see a woman or a girl and assume that her body is for a man. They think that if they desire her, they should have her at any cost.”
Abdulai urged the government to strengthen social institutions such as the Domestic Violence Support Unit, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, the Social Welfare Department, and their allied agencies.
She emphasised the need for better support services for survivors of such heinous crimes, suggesting that increasing funding for the DV Fund would be a good starting point.
Raymond Ayinne, the campaign and advocacy manager at AfriKids, a child rights organisation, discussed the child protection issues that employers, particularly those who own facilities like guest houses, need to address.
Ayinne said, “At 18, she is most likely fresh out of senior high school and working while hoping to further her education. Finding work is not inherently bad, but I believe she was placed in a situation unsuitable for her age. Working in an environment where adults frequently come and go—whether they are in transit or seeking a more convenient place—exposes the girl to a level of moral degeneration. She might become accustomed to vices and abnormal behavior because they become familiar in that environment, such as witnessing men with women or prostitution.”
“I also think we should ask whether the owner has created safe spaces for this girl, and not just for her but for anyone working in that environment.”
Ayinne demanded that the military high command ensure that appropriate action is taken against the officer involved, to serve as a deterrent to others within the security forces.
Reporting by Mark Smith in the Upper East Region
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