A REPORT by the Human Rights Advocate Centre (HRAC) on Spousal Murders and Rival Killings in Ghana indicates the country recorded 53 cases of spousal murders and rival killings within January 2010 to July 2012.
According to the report, “Out of the 53 cases of spousal killings, there were 42 cases of wife killings, five cases of husband killings and six cases of rival murders.
In addition, there were also six cases involving people who kill their spouses and then commit suicide and an additional nine cases of such people who attempted suicide after killing their spouses.
The Executive Director of the HRAC, Nana Oye Lithur, who announced this at the launch of a report by the centre on Spousal Murders and Rival Killings in Ghana, said the report was based on media monitoring. The event was marked to commemorate the International Day to Eliminate Violence against Women.
Spousal murder is the killing of a spouse or partner by their own spouse or partner and it often happens as a result of domestic violence.
She said spousal murders and rival killings were gaining grounds in the country however government has paid less attention to it and therefore appealed to the security agencies to conduct extensive investigations and research into spousal murders and rival killings in the country.
Nana Oye Lithur said 39 persons were successful in killing their spouses, while 14 were unsuccessful.
She added that the Greater Accra Region recorded the highest cases with 13 cases whiles 11 cases occurred in the Western Region, Ashanti Region; nine cases, Eastern Region; eight cases, Upper East and Northern regions, one each, Volta Region two cases, Central region; three and Brong Ahafo; five cases.
She urged the Police Service, Attorney General and Ministry of Women and Children Affairs (MOWAC) to conduct further research on the incidence of spousal murders and to initiate an intervention to reduce the incident.
She also called on the government to encourage social change by including education and sensitisation programmes on gender equality as early as the primary school level.
She also recommended the need to link domestic violence to spousal killings and urged the churches and mosques to handle relationship and family conflict with much concern to avoid some of these incidence.
“Develop workshops and materials to educate men and women about alternative methods of conflict resolution and healthy relationships”, she said.
Nana Oye also urged the public to report cases of threats from a spouse to the police.
The Queen of Nnudu Traditional Area in Akwamu, Nana Kesewa 1V, on her part, advised the youth to be careful when going into a relationship.
She also urged queens to use their mandate to educate young women on their rights.
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