A report on community listening and an e-survey on sexual abuse in Ghana indicate that survivors do not seek help due to stigma.

The report said victims also fail to report violence against them because of financial constraints and a lack of awareness of available support systems.

The survey was done by the Centre for Health Development and Research (CEHDAR) and supported by the African Women Development Fund (AWDF) and the White Ribbon Alliance Kenya as a part of a three-year programme dubbed the KASA initiative.

KASA, is an initiative that seeks to leverage the growing focus on sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal to boost feminist action and advocacy to reduce violence against women and girls.

The CEO of CHEDAR, Dr Jemima Dennis-Antwi, said the study was driven by the need to learn how sexual assault can be prevented, how girls and women can defend themselves from violence, and how victims can best support themselves and be supported by society.

She said the report indicated that sexual violence involved multiple factors such as cultural norms, social attitudes, legal limitations, and economic dependencies and therefore the provision of a comprehensive support service for abused women and girls was critical for survivors.

“Sexual violence has devastating consequences on survivors - affecting them physically, emotionally, and physically. It has a broader impact on healthcare systems, legal frameworks, and overall community wellbeing,” she said.

The report recommended an improvement in counselling services, the provision of shelter options for survivors and prompt responses from law enforcement agencies.

It emphasised the need for more awareness creation about sexual violence through sex education, community engagement, media campaigns and comprehensive sexual education in schools.

The comprehensive sex education program in schools must include topics such as consent, healthy relationships, gender equality and recognising and reporting sexual violence.

The report also called for an initiative to encourage survivors to speak up. It advocated for strengthening sexual violence laws to protect survivors, hold abusers accountable, and promote gender equality.

The report further recommended the development of protocols and guidelines to ensure that survivors of sexual violence are treated with dignity, respect, and sensitivity throughout the reporting, investigating and legal process.

It also called for the establishment of a mechanism to protect survivors from victim-blaming, stigmatization, and retaliation.

According to the study, community leaders, religious institutions, and grassroots organizations should take an active role in increasing awareness and eliminating sexual assault.

It called for the establishment of specialized support services such as counselling centres, help lines, and safe shelters to offer victims of sexual violence easy access to confidential and affordable services.