Addressing Domestic Violence Cases in Ghana: A Study of the Practice Methodologies of Accra Regional Dovvsu

Abstract

This thesis sought to investigate the Practice Methodologies of Accra Regional DOVVSU in Addressing Domestic Violence Cases. This was done through examining the procedures used in handling reported cases at the Unit, extent to which the Unit meets the needs of victims of domestic violence who are clients, skills/ training/capacity building/enhancement programmes for the Unit’s personnel and factors affecting the quality of service delivery of the Unit. The thesis adopted qualitative case study method: purposively selected respondents, key informant interviews for personnel, in-depth (informal) interviews for clients and direct observations, to gather data. The results revealed the use of untailored procedures in handling reported cases; multiple interviews that add to trauma of clients; breach of confidentiality of clients information; interviewing child victims of violence in the presence of parents; negligible extent of meeting psychosocial needs of victims; poor skills and training programmes and problems with funding, logistics/ infrastructure, lack of legislative instrument on the DV Act, unmet needs of clients, cultural and religious beliefs, system delays, limited human resource and ignorance of the domestic violence law as among the main factors affecting the quality of service delivery of the Unit.