A total of 35 rape cases were recorded in the Eastern Region as at August, 2011, as against 44 cases recorded in the same period 2010. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mrs Eunice Annor, the Eastern Regional Coordinator of the Domestic and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), disclosed this in an interview with the GNA in Koforidua on Friday. “The figure shows reduction of nine and I hope it continues to reduce till the end of the year.” She said as at the time of the interview, no case of rape had been recorded. DSP Annor attributed the reduction to education, which had been going on in the media and also by the education team in the unit who go to various schools to educate students, especially the girl-child on how to keep themselves from becoming rape victims. “Everyone now seems to have knowledge about rape and its implications on the society and on the self so most of them are careful.” “At the schools, we tell the girls, especially not to walk alone at night and also be mindful of their way of dressing so as not to attract somebody to rape or defile them.” DSP Annor said her outfit also organized community meetings with parents to educate them on ways to protect their children from such incidents. She thanked the media for their support for increasing their reportage on issues of rape. DSP Annor indicated that the unit previously used to record marital rapes “but it was disturbing to realize that, especially this year, all the rape victims happened to be children.” She also expressed worry that defilement cases seemed to be rising higher this year than it was last year. “Defilement cases, as at the end of August this year, stood over 105 cases as against 101 cases the same period last year”, she said.