The Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit is introducing sexual and gender- based violence education in its training programmes.

New recruits will now be factored into such courses which will also cover reproductive health and human rights, to enhance professionalism.

Until now, only DOVVSU officers received such training in the face of growing incidence of violence that before the unit for investigation.

As a first step, the Ghana Police Service, with support from the United Nations Population Fund has developed a handbook for instruction at police training schools.

Acting Director of DOVVSU, ACP Habiba Twumasi Sarpong, says the new approach will increase public access to the unit’s services.

”It is to inculcate in the fresh intake the essence of knowing something about sexual and gender based violence which is endemic in our system”. She said.

ACP Twumasi Sarpong is optimistic the initiative will help reduce the incidence of sexual and gender based violence (SGBV).

“If they know about it as frontline officers, there will be early detection on patrol and other assignments”, she said.

Meanwhile, forty police school instructors are attending a three-day trainer of trainers’ workshop on the new manual.

Second in command at the Ashanti regional command, ACP Ampofo Duku who opened the workshop says, this will facilitate learning in recruit training schools, Police Academy as wells as Command and Staff College