Reduction of Intimate Partner Violence Through Advocacy and Education

Domestic and intimate partner violence remains one of the major causes of non-participation by women in public life. It inhibits their capacity to contribute their resources to the benefit of society. In 2007, the Domestic Violence Act was signed into law in Ghana. Under this law, the role of the survivor of domestic violence in the criminal proceedings under this law is to serve as a witness against the perpetrator as according to Section 8 of the Domestic Violence Act. After the prosecution, little or no service is given to the survivor of violence. This situation exposes the survivor to ridicule from her environment, meaning, she will get no satisfaction by leading someone’s father, brother, uncle, or son, a breadwinner, to jail. The purpose of this project is to bring these women together and train them to be advocates in their communities at the Aowin Municipal Assembly in the Western Region of Ghana in five years. It will minimize the incidence of domestic and intimate partner violence through the creation of advocates from the survivors and the community.