Victims’ Psychosocial Experiences of Police Response to Incidence of Domestic Violence in Greater Accra Region, Ghana.

Abstract

Domestic violence (DV) is a pervasive global psychosocial issue with profound impacts on individuals, families, and communities. DV remains an issue in Ghana, particularly in the Greater Accra region, which has seen a steady increase in reported cases in recent years. A qualitative study was conducted among twenty participants who had experienced DV within Greater Accra. Twenty participants with ages ranging from 18 to 50 years were purposively selected for the study. Data was analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. This study demonstrated that victims of DV report their incident to the police because of the nature of violence they are exposed to. The likelihood of harm and death from the violence, with others reporting as a means to retaliate the violence, whiles others also report as an avenue for help. In dealing with the police, victims of DV are faced with challenges including negative police behaviors, resources constraint by the police and mishandling of victims’ cases. It is therefore recommended that the police should be frequently provided with a requisite capacity building and adequately resourced to provide appropriate services for domestic violence victims (DVV). DVV often report feeling re-victimized or discouraged from pursuing legal actions due to the perceived lack of support and understanding from the police. Understanding the experiences of domestic violence victims in their interactions with the Ghanaian police force is crucial for identifying gaps in service provision, informing policy and training interventions, and ultimately enhancing the effectiveness of the criminal justice system's response to this social problem.