Married men who are being denied sex by their wives have been advised to report them to the police.

The Central Regional Coordinator of the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU), Mr George Appiah-Sakyi, explained that “denying your spouse sex amounted to emotional abuse”.

“If your wife wears jeans to sleep and causing you emotional abuse, its an offence and you can report her to DOVVSU,” he stated.

For the women, he said, “if your husbands refuse to eat your food and make you unhappy and causes you emotional pain, you can also report them to the police”.

“If your husband comes home late and causes you to be unhappy you can make a case at DOVSSU,” he said.

At a meeting with leaders of churches in the Cape Coast Metropolis on terrorism and other security issues, Mr Appiah-Sakyi said emotional abuses were also offences punishable under the Domestic Violence Act 732 of 2007.

He noted that though these were offences that could be punishable, many did not know this and continued to perpetrate such offences.

Mr Appiah-Sakyi stated that many only reported physical abuses and not emotional abuses.

Economic abuse

Touching on economic abuse, he noted it included things one was entitled to but had been deprived of them.

“Some husbands even seize the certificates of their spouses is and prevent them from working,” and noted that this is economic abuse.

Mr Appiah-Sakyi explained that anything that made one jittery, unhappy and uncomfortable in a domestic relationship constituted an abuse under the Domestic Violence Act 732 of 2007.

He noted that many people were suffering in the domestic environment and could not maximise their God-given potential, adding this was affecting national productivity in some way.

Punishment

Mr Appiah-Sakyi said one found guilty of such offences might be sentenced to a maximum of two years imprisonment or to a fine of 500 penalty units which was equivalent to GH¢6,000 or both.

“In some instances, the court can ask the offender to compensate the victim or may even be asked to vacate the home”.

Child neglect

He also expressed worry about the neglect of parental duties which he stated was affecting the proper and holistic development of children in the community.

According to him, parents must support their children, desist from verbally abusing them constantly to help them to grow in secure environments.

Mr Appiah-Sakyi, however, noted that many of those domestic challenges could be resolved amicably to ensure it did not disintegrate homes.

Aside from this, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Ms Irene Serwaa Oppong, indicated that apart from praying, churches should educate their members to understand basic security measures to make them vigilant at all times.

She urged them to make prompt complaints to the police if anyone was kidnapped or abducted.

The Metropolitan Crime Officer, Mr Ken Kuntogli, cautioned the church leaders not to shelf issues bothering on crime in their churches.