Sexual abuse: Society’s laughter silences victims — Ark Foundation

The Executive Director of the Ark Foundation, Angela Dwamena-Aboagye, has condemned society’s tendency to laugh off sexual abuse, warning that such reactions silence survivors and can influence how institutions respond to allegations.

She said the apparent amusement shown by people who should be protecting victims reflected a troubling attitude that made survivors feel invisible, discouraged them from reporting abuse and weakened efforts to address sexual violence.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Monday, October 19, she said the reaction to an incident captured in the latest investigative report by Manasseh Azure Awuni on alleged sexual abuse involving female students at Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS) illustrated the problem.

Ms Dwamena-Aboagye said the laughter heard as people discussed an alleged incident involving a student was particularly disturbing, given the responsibility of adults and community leaders to protect young people.

“That is the general attitude that invisibilises people who go through such abuses and that also affects the way institutions respond,” she said.

The allegations concern the school’s headmaster, Zakaria Abdulai, and more than 14 female students. The claims have triggered public debate about the handling of sexual abuse complaints and the protection available to students. The allegations remain subject to investigation.

Under-reporting remains a major concern

Ms Dwamena-Aboagye said sexual violence was a widespread problem globally and not one peculiar to Ghana. However, she stressed that under-reporting remained a major obstacle to confronting the abuse and supporting those affected.

She cited several reasons survivors might remain silent, including the fear of not being believed, stigma, limited support services, guilt and a lack of confidence in justice institutions.

Others, she said, might be reluctant to report people who had abused them because of the close relationships they shared with them.

“Close to 80% of cases go under reported for these same reasons,” she said, referring to the scale of under-reporting globally.

She cautioned that sexual violence covered a broad range of conduct, from sexual harassment to sexual assault and rape, and that its hidden nature made it difficult for society to appreciate its full extent.

For that reason, she said, public reactions that ridiculed or dismissed allegations could deepen the problem by discouraging victims from seeking help.

A public health cost

The Ark Foundation executive director also warned that the effects of sexual abuse could follow survivors into adulthood, affecting their ability to work, maintain relationships and participate fully in society.

She said the consequences should not be viewed only as a private struggle for survivors but also as a public health concern with implications for the country.

“Look, these are people who are probably going to be damaged. They’re going to work in our institutions. They show up with problems later on in life. They are not going to work. They are not able to keep relationships, you know, the way they should,” she said.

“And it’s a cost, a public health cost to our country.”

Ms Dwamena-Aboagye called for society to recognise the seriousness and long-term effects of sexual violence and to respond in ways that protect survivors rather than make them feel ashamed or dismissed.

Her comments come amid growing scrutiny of the allegations involving students at Obuasi SHTS, with renewed calls for sexual abuse complaints to be treated seriously and handled through appropriate investigative processes.