Thirty-two Ghana Police Service (GPS) crime officers have completed a two-day training course on policing domestic violence and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).

The training was designed in collaboration with the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the GPS and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) to empower senior police investigators to protect, support, and provide justice to victims of SGBV.

Over the course of the training, officers learned about conducting trauma-sensitive responses to sexual and gender-based violence and how to take measures to hold perpetrators accountable under the law.

Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah

Speaking at the opening ceremony, U.S. Ambassador to Ghana Robert P Jackson challenged the investigators to prioritize these crimes.

“You are the people victims look to when they need a safe place to escape from violence. 

“You are the people who are entrusted with holding accountable those who commit sexual and gender-based violence. With your actions, you can make clear to your communities that this behavior will not be tolerated," Mr Jackson added. 

He told the trained officers that to prioritize combatting domestic and gender-based violence, to set the expectation for the officers under their supervision.

The U.S Ambassador reading his addressing  

This he believes will motivate such officers to support the victims irrespective of the fact that they serve in the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit, they have a responsibility to respond to domestic and sexual violence.”

The training took place at the West Africa Regional Training Center in Accra and was conducted by Wynn Consulting, a U.S. organization.

It was done in collaboration with Angela Dwamena-Aboagye, executive director of the Ark Foundation, and Adolf Akuku Bekoe, a clinical psychologist and lecturer at Methodist University. Wynn Consulting has conducted training at police academies around the globe and advised leaders to help guide and shape law and policy on this important issue.