The Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service has arrested the father of a three-year-old girl who was brutally abused by her stepmother in Winneba.

The young victim is currently in critical condition at the Trauma and Specialist Hospital after the stepmother allegedly poured boiling water on her private parts as a form of punishment for bedwetting. The father, identified as the girl's primary guardian during the incident, is currently in police custody to assist with investigations.

The stepmother, a Liberian national identified only as Akaima, has absconded and is the subject of a manhunt.

The horrific incident has sent shockwaves through the community and highlights the persistent issue of domestic abuse in the region. The victim had been in Winneba to spend the holidays with her father when the abuse occurred.

According to medical staff at the hospital, the child's injuries are so severe that she will require complex medical procedures to restore her reproductive organs.

The crime is the latest in a series of similar cases in the municipality, which has a higher-than-average rate of domestic violence.

According to DOVVSU’s annual report for the Central Region, Winneba records an average of 120 domestic abuse cases per quarter, with approximately 45% of those cases involving child abuse.

The Mother and Child Rescue Unit of Challenging Heights, a local non-governmental organisation dedicated to child protection, has pledged to cover the victim’s medical expenses.

The group is demanding a thorough investigation and swift justice for the young girl.

“We must not allow such a heinous crime to go unpunished,” a representative from the organisation stated, emphasising the need for legal accountability.

Meanwhile, the Winneba Divisional Police Command says investigations are ongoing, with all resources being channelled to locate and apprehend the primary suspect.

The police are also intensifying their public education campaigns to curb the rise in domestic crime.

This incident serves as a grim reminder of the challenges in child protection in Ghana.

According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), a significant number of children in Ghana face some form of abuse.

A 2023 report on the state of Ghana’s children revealed that 31% of boys and 37% of girls aged 1-14 experience some form of physical punishment at home.

The report further indicates that emotional abuse and neglect are also widespread.

The Domestic Violence Act (Act 732) of 2007 provides a legal framework for prosecuting offenders, but its implementation remains a challenge due to factors such as under-reporting, a lack of public awareness, and resource constraints at law enforcement agencies like DOVVSU.

The unit has an operational staff of only 2,500 nationwide, a figure widely considered insufficient to handle the caseload of domestic violence, child abuse, and sexual offenses.