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Tag: sexual abuse

  • Players’ union supports lifetime ban for Gabonese coach over sexual abuse scandal

    Players’ union supports lifetime ban for Gabonese coach over sexual abuse scandal

    FIFA’s lifetime ban on former Gabonese youth coach Patrick Assoumou Eyi for sexually abusing players is a “positive first step,” but many more perpetrators remain, according to an official from global players’ union FIFPRO.

    On Tuesday, FIFA ruled that Eyi, who led Gabon’s national youth teams for decades, had sexually abused multiple young boys throughout his career.

    He was named in a 2023 BBC Africa Eye investigation, which exposed widespread abuse in Gabonese football. In the report, a former Gabonese international described Eyi as holding the “position of a god,” given his influence in selecting players for the youth national teams.

    Despite his punishment, Eyi—widely known as Capello—is “just one man that has been sanctioned,” said FIFPRO legal counsel Loic Alves, adding that many more perpetrators remain within Gabonese football.

    “It is a positive first step, but it is just the first step,” Mr Alves said.

    Eyi had admitted charges of raping, grooming and exploiting young players after allegations were first reported by the UK’s Guardian newspaper in 2021.

    Fifa’s independent ethics committee launched its investigation into Eyi later that year.

    As well as being banned for life, Eyi has been fined one million Swiss francs (£880,000; $1.1m). He is currently being held in prison.

    “The investigation into Mr Eyi concerns complaints from at least four male football players who accused him of sexual abuse between 2006 and 2021. Most of these incidents occurred while the players were minors,” Fifa’s statement said.

    One of Eyi’s alleged victims, who wanted to remain anonymous, told the BBC on Wednesday he was pleased about the ban.

    “But on the other hand, I’m not satisfied because I don’t want us to stop there. It’s a whole network, a system that needs to be dismantled, with many predators running free,” they said.

    In 2023, BBC Africa interviewed more than 30 witnesses who detailed a decades-long network of sexual abuse affecting all levels of Gabonese football.

    One victim recounted being abused as a teenager during an under-17 football camp, while another, who went on to represent Gabon’s national team for several years, revealed he had been assaulted from the age of 14.

    Beyond the perpetrators, governing bodies such as FIFA and Gabon’s football federation, FEGAFOOT, have been accused of failing to protect young victims. However, both organizations have denied any wrongdoing.

  • Delays in anti-LGBTQ+ case caused by plaintiffs, not court – Judicial Service

    Delays in anti-LGBTQ+ case caused by plaintiffs, not court – Judicial Service

    The Judicial Service of Ghana has dismissed claims that Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo and the Supreme Court are intentionally postponing the cases filed against Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, concerning the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Act, also known as the anti-gay bill.

    In response to a petition urging the Supreme Court to speed up the hearings, the Judicial Service clarified that the delay is due to the parties involved not filing the required documents.

    According to the Supreme Court Rules of 1996 (CJ 16), the parties must submit their statements of case within the set deadlines before the court can proceed with the hearing.

    “For the Supreme Court to hear any case, the parties are required to file their respective pleadings in the form of a statement of case within the timelines provided for by the Supreme Court Rules, 1996 (CJ 16).

    “As the two communications issued earlier stated, Parliament and the parties have not complied with the requirements that allow a trial of the case raised by the Plaintiffs,” the statement from the Judicial Service is quoted to have indicated.

    The Judicial Service further explained that both Parliament and the involved parties have not fulfilled the necessary steps to allow the case to move forward. It has urged all concerned parties to submit their pleadings so that the Supreme Court can begin considering the case.

    On February 28, 2024, Ghana’s Parliament passed the Promotion of Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, widely known as the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill.

    The bill, which is awaiting approval from President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, criminalizes same-sex relationships and the advocacy or funding of LGBTQ+ causes.

    Offenders could face imprisonment for periods ranging from six months to three years, while those who promote or finance such activities could face sentences of up to five years.

    For the bill to become law, it requires presidential assent, which must occur within seven days. If the President does not sign it, Parliament can still pass it into law with a two-thirds majority vote.

    However, the President’s office has instructed Parliament not to send the bill for assent until the ongoing legal cases in the Supreme Court have been settled.

  • Over 200 women accuse US doctor of sexual abuse

    Over 200 women accuse US doctor of sexual abuse

    Over ten years ago, Kristin Fritz had back pain and went to see a specialist recommended by her doctor at Brigham and Women a€™s Hospital in Boston.

    The appointment with the doctor Derrick Todd had a regular day for the 37-year-old woman from New Hampshire. But as Todd got closer, he touched her chest forcefully, she said, and it seemed like he liked it too much.

    Last year, when the hospital talked to her about Todd, she realized that a boundary had been passed. She had someone with her.

    “I feel really hurt,” she told The Associated Press. “I feel really bad for not doing anything when I knew something was wrong and I should have told someone. ”

    The Associated Press usually doesn’t say the names of people who may have been sexually abused, but Fritz said it was okay to use her name. She is one of over 200 women and a few men who have joined a combined lawsuit against Todd in Massachusetts’ Suffolk Superior Court.

    The lawsuit accuses Todd of doing unnecessary exams on patients, like checking their pelvic floor, breasts, testicles, and rectum. And there are several lawsuits like this from last year.

    It is claimed that Todd, a former doctor at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, started mistreating patients in 2010. His job was to treat muscle, joint, and bone problems. Also, it said that many other people, including Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital and Charles River Medical Associates, knew about the abuse but did not do anything to stop it.

    “It’s a lot of people who trust Dr. [name]” William Thompson of Lubin & Meyer in Boston said that Todd and others had their trust broken for someone’s selfish reasons.

    “I also wonder how this could have been happening at the hospital or practice group for so long without anyone noticing that something strange was going on,” he added. “But they let him keep doing it for many years to many people. ”

    Todd’s lawyer, Anthony Abeln, said Todd will not talk about this problem in the news. He will protect himself in court.

    In April 2023, Brigham and Women’s got two complaints about Todd from people who didn’t give their names. The hospital started looking into it. Todd was told he needed someone else in the room when he does sensitive exams. In June, he was told to take a break from work, and a month later, he lost his job. The hospital told the Department of Public Health, the state Board of Registration in Medicine, law enforcement, and his current and former patients.

    In September, Todd agreed to stop practicing medicine anywhere in the country with the Board of Registration in Medicine. Todd has not been accused of any crimes, but the police have talked to some of his previous patients.

    Last year, The Boston Globe said that Todd was being looked into by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. A person from the office said they won’t talk about the case.

    “We are very concerned about the troubling accusations of bad behavior by Dr. [last name]” The hospital said Todd’s name in a statement. “We are committed to taking good care of our patients and making sure they are safe in our care. ” We will always take quick action if someone says we did something wrong, just like we did in this situation.

    The Charles River Medical Associates said they didn’t know about any complaints of “inappropriate behavior” by Todd and they spoke to patients to ask about their concerns.

    “We feel very upset and sorry about these troubling claims. We admire the bravery of the patients who spoke out. ” This was stated in a release.

    Thompson said the people who were hurt are as young as teenagers and as old as women in their 60s. The lawsuit claimed that Todd would earn their trust, and then become their only doctor, even though he didn’t need to do the exams he did.

    One of them was a 33-year-old woman from Massachusetts who had a hard time finding a doctor during the COVID-19 pandemic. She was happy when Todd called to help her with the tingling and numbness in her arms and hands.

    For more than two years, Todd was her main doctor and gynecologist. The lawsuit claimed that the abuse got worse when she went for her appointments, including having her vagina examined multiple times. She said Todd would often make inappropriate comments about her body, ask her to take off her clothes, and make sure she was alone during exams.

    “It really affected every part of my life because it takes up all of my thoughts and affects my self-confidence,” said the woman. She reported Todd to the medical board after talking to her gynecologist and realizing something was not right.

    Ever since I found out there were other doctors and Todd quit being a doctor, I feel much better even though I still find it hard to deal with. “It’s really hard just to think about work,” she said. “I’m really, really, really having a hard time today. ”

    Regarding Fritz, she admitted that the experience will always be with her for the rest of her life. However, she finds comfort in knowing that Todd is already facing consequences for what he did.

    “You were a respected doctor at a top hospital. ” You hurt and mistreated many, many, many patients. “Fritz said Todd is not right. ” To me, justice would mean that he can never work again. He should never be able to do this to women or any other patient again.

  • EL denies allegations of sexual assault made by Facebook user; replies “u wish”

    EL denies allegations of sexual assault made by Facebook user; replies “u wish”

    Renowned Ghanaian rapper Elorm Adablah, popularly known as EL, has vehemently denied allegations of sexual abuse and groping made against him by a Ghanaian lady named Edna on Facebook.

    In a Facebook post on February 14, Edna FG accused the rapper of inappropriate behaviour and claimed that EL took her money for a recording session but never allowed her to record her music at his studio in Nyaniba estates.

    The accuser further asserted that EL had a history of demanding sexual favours from female musicians who visited his studio for recordings.

    In response, EL dismissed the allegations with a dismissive comment, asserting, “built like a mini fridge… Ew, you wish.”

    EL, seemingly unfazed by the accusations, commented on the broader trend of musicians facing allegations of sexual abuse, asserting, “Oh, it’s my turn abi. Alright, let’s go.”

    This incident follows a similar controversy involving rapper Sarkodie and actress Yvonne Nelson last year.

    Yvonne Nelson accused Sarkodie of forcing her to abort a baby after a past relationship.

    In response, Sarkodie released a song titled “Try Me,” where he acknowledged the relationship but shifted the blame for the abortion onto Yvonne, urging her to take responsibility for her choices.

    It appears that the Ghanaian music industry is grappling with controversies and allegations, shedding light on the personal lives of its prominent figures.

    See post below:



  • French actress accuses directors of past sexual abuse

    French actress accuses directors of past sexual abuse

    French police are looking into a complaint made by actress Judith Godrèche against director Benoît Jacquot. She says he raped her in the past.

    Ms Godrèche, 51, says that Mr Jacquot, 77, raped her when she was 14 years old in 1986 and continued to hurt her in their relationship until the 1990s.

    Her lawyer told the AFP news agency that she filed a complaint on Tuesday.

    Mr Jacquot strongly says he didn’t do what she claims.

    Ms Godrèche talked on French radio on Thursday and said that when she was 15, another famous French director, Jacques Doillon, did something wrong to her. His lawyer says he also strongly disagrees with the actress’s accusations.

    At the beginning of her career, Ms Godrèche was famous for her roles in two movies made by Benoît Jacquot, The Beggars (1987) and The Disenchanted (1990).

    Benoît Jacquot has been making movies since the mid-1970s. In 2012, his drama Farewell, My Queen was shown at the 62nd annual Berlin International Film Festival.

    Judith Godrèche has acted in many movies such as The Overnight (2015), The Spanish Apartment (2002), and The Man in the Iron Mask (1998). These are some of her most famous movies.

    She had talked about her relationship with Benoît Jacquot on a TV show about her life in French cinema. She didn’t say his name.

    She posted his name on social media last month because she saw a documentary from 2011 where the director talked about his relationship with a young person, and it made her decide to do it.

    In an interview with Le Monde, Mr. Jacquot said he does not agree with what Judith Godrèche is saying about him.

    AFP talked to him on Wednesday. He said he still believes what he said in the newspaper and doesn’t want to say anything else about it.

    Ms Godrèche said more things during a radio interview on France Inter on Thursday. She talked about a private scene while filming for Jacques Doillon’s movie The 15 Year Old Girl in 1989.

    She said she was hurt when she lived with Jane Birkin and also during a sex scene in a movie.

    “He hired an actor, we began recording and then he replaced the actor and played the role himself,” she said.

    “I don’t have a shirt on and he’s touching me inappropriately, and he’s kissing me, and Jane can see everything and it’s really hard for her to watch. ”

    Marie Dosé, the lawyer for Jacques Doillon, said he learned about the accusations from the news. He strongly denies them and wants to tell his side in court.

    The public prosecutor has given the complaints against both directors to the Juvenile Protection Brigade in Paris.

  • Over 200,000 children in Spain sexually abused by clergy

    Over 200,000 children in Spain sexually abused by clergy

    An estimated 200,000 minors in Spain have experienced sexual abuse by Roman Catholic clergy since 1940, according to an independent commission’s report published on Friday.

    The report, based on a poll of over 8,000 people, found that 0.6 percent of Spain’s adult population (approximately 39 million people) reported suffering sexual abuse by clergy members during their childhood.

    When including abuse by lay members, the percentage increases to 1.13 percent, or more than 400,000 individuals, according to Spain’s national ombudsman, Angel Gabilondo, who presented the report’s findings during a news conference.

    These revelations in Spain are the latest in a series of scandals that have affected the Roman Catholic Church worldwide over the past two decades, often involving children. In Spain, however, where the population has become increasingly secular, allegations of clerical abuse are only now gaining momentum, leading to accusations by survivors of institutional resistance.

    “Unfortunately, for many years there has been a certain desire to deny abuses or a desire to conceal or protect the abusers,” said Gabilondo, a former education minister.

    The report labels the Catholic Church’s response to child abuse cases involving clergy as “insufficient,” criticizing the church’s attitude. It suggested setting up a state fund to compensate the victims.

    Child protection offices 

    The Spanish Bishops Conference announced that it would hold an extraordinary meeting on Monday to discuss the report’s findings, just prior to it being presented in parliament.

    In March 2022, Spain’s parliament overwhelmingly approved the establishment of an independent commission, led by the country’s ombudsman, to investigate allegations of sexual abuse involving “vulnerable boys and girls” within the Catholic Church.

    While Spain’s Catholic Church had long resisted conducting its own investigation, it chose not to participate in the independent inquiry. However, it cooperated by providing documents related to cases of sexual abuse gathered by dioceses.

    Under mounting political pressure, the Church commissioned a private law firm in February 2022 to conduct an “audit” of historical and ongoing cases of sexual abuse involving clergy, teachers, and other individuals associated with the Church. This audit is expected to conclude by the end of the year.

    In June, the Spanish Church announced the discovery of 927 cases of child abuse through a complaints procedure initiated in 2020. The Church asserts that it has established protocols for addressing sexual abuse and has created “child protection” offices within dioceses.

    ‘Tip of iceberg’ 

    However, an investigation initiated by the widely circulated newspaper El Pais back in 2018 has revealed a staggering 2,206 victims and 1,036 alleged abusers with cases dating as far back as 1927.

    “According to experts, this is just the beginning,” the newspaper noted on Friday before the report’s release.

    The Church’s abuse crisis gained international prominence in 2002 when the Boston Globe newspaper exposed decades of child sexual abuse by priests and subsequent cover-ups by church leaders.

    Subsequently, reports of widespread child abuse emerged in the United States, Europe, Chile, and Australia, eroding the moral authority of the Church with its 1.3 billion members and leading to a decline in its membership.

    In neighboring France, an independent commission determined in 2021 that approximately 216,000 children, mostly boys, had suffered sexual abuse by clergy since 1950.

    In Germany, a study uncovered 3,677 abuse cases between 1946 and 2014, while in Ireland, over 14,500 individuals received compensation through a government program for those who had experienced abuse at Catholic Church-run juvenile facilities.

  • Parents urged to take sexually abused children to hospital first

    Parents urged to take sexually abused children to hospital first

    Sexually abused children need immediate medical attention before reporting the case to the police, parents have been told.

    This will help the victims to receive physical and mental care, as well as medication that can prevent HIV and other infections.

    Harriet Odoley Klufio, a Child Protection Specialist at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, said if the abuse was reported within 72 hours, anti-retroviral drugs could be given to stop HIV infection.

    She warned parents not to delay or try to settle the case at home with the perpetrators.

    “You should not dilly-dally trying to get money from the perpetrators to settle the case at home,” she advised.

    She said while the abuse was a criminal act that needed police intervention, taking the child-victim to the police station first could scare them.

    “So, we prefer that the victims are brought to the hospital first for us to stabilise them psychologically and physically so that they will be able to narrate the incident in a calm state of mind.”

    She said the Child Protection Unit of the hospital was child-friendly and had trained staff who could get the necessary information from the victims.

    She said the police could visit the victims at the clinic, home or crime scene after they had been discharged.

    Trauma and damage

    Mrs Klufio, who is also the first Ghanaian Forensic Nurse, described child sexual abuse as a very bad act that caused trauma and damage to the victims.

    She said some of them had to undergo several surgeries to repair the opening between the vagina and the rectum caused by the abuse.

    She advised parents to educate their children to run away from sexual predators and not to believe their threats.

    She said the hospital recorded an average of 40 cases of child abuse every year, with 80 per cent being sexual abuse.

    The rest were physical abuse and neglect.

    Abandonment of newborns

    She also disclosed that abandonment of newborn babies was rising in the hospital due to economic hardships.

    She said some women, especially adolescents, delivered their babies and left them at the hospital, claiming they had no money or support.

    “They do it all the time. It is not everybody that will have an abortion. They may not even have money for safe abortion so they carry the pregnancy to term, come and deliver, abandon the baby and go back home to say they lost the child.”

    She said the National Health Insurance Scheme did not cover everything after delivery and some mothers could not afford diapers and other essentials for their babies.

  • Side chick sues her former boss at the First Atlantic Bank for sexual harassment

    Side chick sues her former boss at the First Atlantic Bank for sexual harassment

    A former National Service Personnel, Deborah Seyram Adablah with First Atlantic Bank has sued the Bank and her former Boss, Ernest Kwasi Nimako who was her ‘Sugar Daddy’ during the one-year period of her National Service.

    In a writ of summons which has since gone viral, Deborah alleges that she fell for the relationship because she wanted to keep her job and also for her peace of mind in the working space since other ladies who turned down Managers at First Atlantic Bank made life uncomfortable for them.

    Deborah says what’s even worrying is the fact that ladies who work for the Bank are made to make sexual advances at big clients in order for them to open accounts with the Bank; something which is worrying but the management looks on unconcerned.

    She said while they were in the relationship, Ernest Kwasi Nimako asked that she rejects a contract offer from the bank and promised among other things to take care of her basic needs which include rent, and monthly allowance.

    Also, he promised to divorce his wife and marry her because his marriage had broken beyond redemption

    However, their relationship suffered some differences in July 2022 when the first defendant Ernest Kwasi Nimako decided to stop paying her rent and also providing other benefits he promised her.

    She is, therefore, asking the court to make Ernest Kwasi Nimako transfer the title of Car registered GC-7899-21 to her, refund the cost of repair for her car which is GHc 10,000, pay a lump sum to help her start a business to take care of herself.

    She is also seeking payment of arrears of her monthly allowance from July 2022 and arrears of her apartment.

  • New York adult survivors act allows lawsuits for decades-old abuse claims

    Victims of sexual abuse in the US state of New York can now sue over allegations dating back decades.

    The Adult Survivors Act, which went into effect on Thursday, gives victims a one-year window to file lawsuits that would have otherwise expired under the statute of limitations.

    E Jean Carroll, a writer, was among the first to sue under the act, accusing Donald Trump of raping her in the 1990s.

    Mr. Trump has denied her claims.

    Ms Carroll, a writer, claims the attack occurred in a luxury department store dressing room in New York 27 years ago.

    New York’s Adult Survivors Act allows victims to come forward if the sexual assault occurred when they were over the age of 18 and took place on a date that exceeds time limit that exists on most felonies.

    It is modelled after the state’s recent Child Abuse Act, which applied to victims who were abused as minors.

    The Child Abuse Act, which came into effect in 2019, allowed a two-year period for victims to come forward. Around 11,000 lawsuits were filed in New York against churches, hospitals, schools, camps and other institutions under that act.

    Ms Carroll has also sued former president Trump for defamation after he accused her of lying when she first made her allegations public in 2019. Mr Trump has called Ms Carroll’s claims “fiction”. A civil trial for that case is scheduled for 6 February.

    In a statement to media, Ms Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, said the new lawsuit filed on Thursday is intended to hold Mr Trump accountable for the alleged assault.

    Others are also planning to file lawsuits under the new Adult Survivors Act.

    This includes a planned class action lawsuit against Robert Hadden, a former gynaecologist at hospitals tied to New York-Presbyterian and Columbia University, who has been accused by dozens of patients of sexual abuse.

    Mr Hadden was convicted in 2016 on sex-related charges in state court but has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of abusing female patients over two decades.

    Advocates for survivors of sex abuse believe the legislation provides an opportunity for people to come forward who may not have done so previously due to trauma or fear of retaliation.

    Several other states have also extended or temporarily eliminated their statues of limitation on sex crimes in the wake of the #MeToo in 2018, including New Jersey, California, Arizona and Montana.

  • Jean-Pierre Ricard, a French cardinal, admits to abusing a 14-year-old girl 35 years ago

    Jean-Pierre Ricard issued a statement admitting to the abuse, which he said occurred during his early days as a parish priest.

    A French cardinal has admitted to sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl while serving as a parish priest in the 1980s.

    Jean-Pierre Ricard, a cardinal since 2006, revealed the abuse in a letter on Monday and announced his resignation from his position.

    “Thirty-five years ago, when I was a parish priest, I behaved in a reprehensible way with a young girl aged 14,” he said.

    “My behaviour has inevitably led to grave and lasting consequences for this person.”

    He went on to ask for forgiveness and said he would be available should the legal and church authorities wish to speak to him.

    Cardinal Ricard, 78, was ordained as a priest in 1968. He became archbishop of Bordeaux in 2001 and retired three years ago.

    He was also a member of the Vatican Council for the Economy, which oversees all the financial activities of the Holy See.

    Eleven bishops or former bishops, including Michel Santier, a former bishop in Creteil, near Paris, are the focus of abuse investigations in France, Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, head of the French bishops’ conference, told a news conference on Monday, at which he also read out Cardinal Ricard’s statement.

    The cardinal’s admission is the latest revelations to rock the Catholic Church, which has been embroiled in a global sexual abuse scandal, often involving children, for more than two decades.

    In France last year, an independent investigation said French clergy had sexually abused more than 200,000 children in the past 70 years, and its authors said the Catholic Church had turned a blind eye for too long.

  • Activists offer to pay legal costs of abused students

    A campaign group in Mozambique is calling for tough action to stop the sexual abuse of women and girls in higher education, and has offered to pay the legal costs of students wanting to take their cases to court.

    The Observatory for Women says a recent study it conducted revealed the province of Tete had the worst level of such offences, and says it has spoken to multiple victims who allege they were harassed by one particular professor.

    “I did not file a complaint with the university – I am very frustrated because now I have to cross paths with the professor in hallways every day,” one of the alleged victims told the campaign group.

    The alleged abuser is himself taking legal action against the students who had accused him of attacking them, sparking outrage from the Observatory for Women.

    “If teachers continue to have this practice, we, as a civil society, are available to freely sponsor students to file lawsuits,” the group added.

    Source: BBC

  • WHO Africa chief condemns ‘sex abuse’ by aid staff

    The World Health Organization’s regional director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, has said allegations that aid workers sexually abused women while tackling an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo are “heartbreaking”.

    She said she will ensure a “timely, fair and transparent investigation” and that those found to have been involved will face serious consequences.

    Dr Moeti said she would ensure mechanisms of reporting such acts are corrected:

    A year-long investigation by two agencies revealed that aid workers who identified themselves as WHO staff sexually abused women in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    The New Humanitarian and the Thomson Reuters Foundation spoke to 50 local women who were allegedly plied with drinks, “ambushed” in hospitals, forced to have sex, and two became pregnant.

    The allegations cover the period between 2018 and March this year.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Sawla sexual assault: We will support you – District Heath Directorate to victim

    The District Health Director of Sawla-Tuna-Kalba in the Savanna Region, Mr. Zakaria Abdul Kasim, on behalf of the Directorate has pledged to support Miss Doreen Smith in her quest to seek justice.

    Miss Doreen Smith over the week was reported to have been sexually harassed by the District Health Insurance Authority(NHIS) Director, Mr. Mahama Sakara.

    In an exclusive interview with GhanaWeb, Mr. Kasim narrated, “On the 9th of July, Miss Doreen Smith reported to the directorate that she was sexually assaulted by, Mr. Mahama Sakara. So an emergency management meeting was conveyed for us to take a decision on how to handle the issue.

    The lady was invited to give an account of the issue, then she told us that she has a recording of all that transpired during the process, then she was asked to play for us hear and she did.

    Then management asked her what she wants and she said she wanted to make it a police case, then we gave her the green light to make the report whiles we see how we can support her.

    Later on the 15 of July, 2020 which was on Wednesday, the police brought us a letter, written to us officially that the lady has reported the case to them for investigations.”

    Mr. Kasim noted that since it is the responsibility of the directorate to ensure that its members are safe, he pledged to support the lady in spirit and will do anything under the powers of the directorate legally to support her.

    “If we don’t support her, I don’t think somebody will do and if we don’t do that, then our existence as management and also as a manager is of no use.” He added.

    Mr. Kasim, hinted that the Union of Professional Nurses & Midwifery, Ghana(UPNMG) which the lady is a member too, is also prepared to offer Miss Smith a lawyer to advance the case to court.

    He also made it clear that, the Directorate could have joined the case for unlawful entry into the health facility because the facility belongs to Ghana Health Service, and making an official visit to the place without seeking the directorate consent was unlawful.

    Adding that, Mr. Sakara’s visit to the CHIP compound was unlawful, because he never seek permission from them before going there and they could have taken him on for disrupting a public officer from doing his duty but they are not interested in that, what they are interested in now is the criminal aspect of it.

    He, however, emphasized that, “nobody has the right to enter any health facility officially without first seeking the approval of the Health Directorate.”

    Meanwhile, all effort made to get Mr. Sakara respond to the allegations labelled against him has proven futile.

     

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • I was sexually abused by my step dad – Attorney Juanita Headley

    Sexual abuse and rape seems to be a daunting issue not only for 3rd world countries but all around the world. Twitter in the last few weeks has been filled with several rape allegations towards men including some prominent celebrities in Ghana and abroad.

    Nana Adwoa Sarkodie on her weekly Instagram Live sessions hosted Juanita Headley, a US Attorney, Author and Founder of Changing Cases currently residing in the UK.

    Juanita is an outstanding sexual abuse survivor who shares her bizarre story of abuse to audiences across the globe.

    She described the first encounter at the age of four (4) when her step dad started grooming her by tickling. This incident unfortunately unfolded into severe cases because her mother turned a deaf ear to her complaints.

    “My step dad started tickling me when I was four and I reported to my mother. She told me ‘don’t let it happen again’ and told my step dad ‘don’t let it happen again’. As an adult, I believe that’s why I did not confide in her again after it went from tickling to attempted rape. He will come to my room and try to rape me but was never successful because when he tries to penetrate, I toss and turn.” She said.

    “My step dad was an alcoholic but I want to be clear that being an alcoholic does not make one a pedophile. Being alcoholic only gave him the courage and confidence to do what he wanted to do and wouldn’t have had the guts to do it if he were sober” she added.

    According to Juanita, the abuse continued until she was thirteen (13) and her family still did nothing to curb the situation. She confided in her female cousins who then told their mum (her aunt), but this also was to no avail.

    She urged society not to judge promiscuous children because most of them turn out that way due to being victims of sexual abuse. “If a child discloses sexual abuse, it’s really important to believe them and reassure them. Create a free space for them to be able to share with you” she insisted.

    By God’s grace, Juanita successfully overcame the trauma and has decided to use her story to inspire others.

    “I am convinced that all things work together for our good, that your past doesn’t have to dictate your future and that’s why I wrote my book (Can You Keep a Secret?). People perish for the lack of knowledge. If I can educate, empower and encourage people on the topic of sexual abuse, on human trafficking, on exploitation, then this could be a different safer world” she said.

    When asked whether she had forgiven her step dad, she explained that he turned out to be her best friend because of the grooming from an early age. She even cried at his funeral even though he was a pedophile. However, she feels there might be some form of unforgiveness towards her mother who did nothing to help the situation.

    She aims to build bakeries around the world to employ certain criminals and give them a second chance. “As a Christian, I believe every person deserves a second chance including my step dad. I believe in prison time but I believe in second chances and as a result of that, I believe in empowering people regardless of their past sins, mistakes or criminal activities.

    She further advised people struggling with certain immoral behaviours to do their best in resisting the temptation. “If you’re an alcoholic, you don’t walk on the streets where there are bars” she said.

    In a response to a question about pastors and spiritual leaders who are sometimes the perpetrators of sexual abuse, Juanita said “We are human first and Christian second. As a result, we do screw up, sin, make mistakes and do illegal things. We are the church, it’s not the building and that is unique to that person. Priests are not pedophiles, people are. People are pedophiles and they are sometimes priests”.

    Finally, she encouraged everyone who has suffered any form of abuse to speak about their experiences. “Every experience we have, there is a purpose for that. If you have been abused, you’re innocent. You’re not a victim, you’re a survivor. Get rid of the shame, take your story and inspire others.

    The discussion was simply amazing and transformational. You can watch the full interview via Nana Adwoa Sarkodie on Instagram or YouTube.

     

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    Source: Nana Adwoa Sarkodie, Contributor

  • Here is how you can support your friend who has been sexually assaulted

    Offering support is way to help sexually abused survivors.

    Sexual assault is illegal, unwanted or unwelcome form of sexual contact such as rape, touching or groping without consent.
    Anyone can be a victim of sexual assault, it is not gender specific or age specific.

    Sexual assault victims find this to be a very traumatic one, thus it is important that as a friend or family or cousin to give them all the support because they would be needing a lot of it.

    Knowing the right kind of words to say is also important, you do not want to say things that could result in them having flashbacks or panic attacks and in the long run, prevent stigmatization.

    Here is how you can support your friend who has been sexually abused:

    1. Listen to them

    At this point, they don’t need you to tell them why it happened or what they could have done to prevent it from happening. They don’t want to hear what you have to say if it is not going to make the situation better. They do not need you to judge them, all you need to do is listen to them. Don’t be too quick to speak, listen while they let everything all out.

    2. Show support

    If your friend calls you and they tell you that they have been sexually assaulted, it is because they trust you and they feel you can support or help them.

    Let them know that they have your unwavering support through their trying times. Follow them to the clinic or hospital, you can also follow them to the therapist. Let them know that you are on their side.

    3. Let them know that you believe them

    One of the main reasons why rape survivors do not speak up is because they fear that society might not believe their sexual assault story. Do not interrogate them or try to challenge their story.

    This helps to stop the stigmatization that usually surrounds rape.

    Source: pulse.ng

  • Abused Russian sisters who killed father face murder charge

    Investigators said Tuesday that two sisters who killed their father after years of abuse should face murder charges in a case highlighting Russia’s dire record on domestic violence.

    Three Russian sisters — Krestina, Angelina and Maria Khachaturyan — stabbed their father Mikhail to death in July, 2018 after suffering years of beatings and sexual assault.

    They were 17, 18 and 19 at the time.

    Read:Two nuns become pregnant after mission work in Africa

    Russia’s Investigate Committee said in a statement on Tuesday that it had completed a probe into the killing and was recommending charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder against the two older sisters, Krestina and Angelina.

    The probe established that the sisters, acting as a group, stabbed their father with a knife and beat him with a hammer, causing fatal injuries.

    It pointed to “mitigating circumstances” but said the two older sisters were of sound mind and aware of their actions at the time of the attack.

    Read:Pope admits clerical abuse of nuns including sexual slavery

    They face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Investigators recommended that the youngest sister, Maria, should enter mandatory psychiatric care.

    Lawyers and activists say the teenagers were forced to act to save their own lives, pointing to poor legal protections for abuse victims in a country where a separate law on domestic violence still does not exist.

    Mari Davtyan, a lawyer for Angelina, told AFP the case should not go to trial in its current form.

    Read:Man sexually assaults Ghanaian air hostess
    She said the sisters “used reasonable force in self-defence”.

    Source: AFP

  • Five men acquitted of gang-raping teenager in Spain

    A court in Barcelona has acquitted five men accused of gang-raping a 14 year old girl of the charge of sexual abuse.

    The men were convicted and jailed for the lesser crime of sexual abuse.

    Under Spanish law, an offence can only be considered rape or sexual assault if physical force or intimidation is used.

    The court ruled they had not committed rape because the victim was in an “unconscious state” and they did not need to use violence.

    The decision comes despite Spain’s Supreme Court reversing a similar ruling earlier this year.

    There is also an ongoing review into the law.

    Read:Two women gang-raped to death at Abrepo in Kumasi

    Six defendants were initially charged. The five who were convicted were sentenced to between 10 and 12 years in prison.

    A more serious conviction of sexual assault would have carried prison sentences of between 15 and 20 years.

    Women’s rights groups have reacted to the ruling with anger and dismay.

    Warning: Some readers may find details of this story disturbing

    The men were found guilty of abusing the girl during a drinking session known in Spanish as a botellón at a disused factory in Manresa, a town in the north-eastern region of Catalonia, in October 2016.

    The case became known as the “Manada de Manresa” – Manresa Wolf Pack – for its similarities to another 2016 gang attack on a teenager which prompted widespread protests and an ongoing review of Spain’s rape laws.

    Read:Gang rape paralyzes lady in Kumasi

    What happened in this case?
    Prosecutors told the court the men took turns to attack the girl, who was under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

    One of the defendants, named only as Bryan Andrés M, was said to have told each of them: “It’s your turn. Fifteen minutes each and no delay.”

    At a previous court hearing, the girl said she remembered very little of what happened but that one of the men had been brandishing a gun.

    All the defendants denied the allegations, although the DNA of one of them was found on the girl’s underwear.

    The court ruled that the victim did “not know what she was and wasn’t doing, and consequently, did not have the ability to agree to or oppose the sexual relations most of the defendants had with her”, El Pais reported.

    It added that the defendants “were able to commit sexual acts without using any type of violence or intimidation”.

    The court awarded the victim €12,000 (£10,300) damages for an attack it described as “extremely severe and especially denigrating”.

    Read:The Offense of rape in Ghana

    What happened in original ‘wolf pack’ case?
    A court in Navarra jailed five men for sexual abuse for a gang attack in Pamplona on an 18-year-old woman who was dragged into the hallway of a residential building.

    As she appeared “passive or neutral”, according to a police report, the court decided no intimidation or violence had taken place.

    In June, the Spanish Supreme Court overturned that ruling, deciding it was sexual assault and that the men were rapists. The five saw their sentences of nine years increased to 15.

    Spain’s prime minister last year appointed a panel to review the rape laws.

    Source: bbc.com