Gender and Human Rights Activist, Esther Darko-Mensah, has disclosed that people may be going through a form of abuse without recognizing it.
Defining what abuse is, she stated that it was synonymous with violence and this is “an act meted out to someone against their wish or consent, which results in injury or pain”.
In an interview with host Eunice Tornyi on the African Women Voices show on e.TV Ghana, she outlined the different types of violence meted out to people. She noted that this violence included Physical Violence, Psychological Violence, Sexual Violence, Economic Violence and Traditional Violence.
Physical Violence
According to Esther Darko-Mensah, physical violence refers to the type of violence that causes physical harm and can readily be seen with the eyes. She instanced that this type of violence occurs when a man beats his wife or when a child is brutally beaten by his or her parents.
Psychological Violence
This type of abuse, she said, affects the victim emotionally. She disclosed that usually, other people do not notice when a person is going through this type of abuse and as such, it is difficult for victims to seek help. She commented that this type of abuse can be meted out either through verbal communication or through the silent treatment. “A notable example is when a man insults his wife or when couples give each other the silent treatment. Those things affect you but people don’t see. It is mental torturing. People don’t usually recognize this”, she added.
Sexual Violence
She furthered that sexual violence involves acts such as rape, incest, sexual harassment, among others. “Sexual harassment usually happens at the workplace when people start touching and passing unwanted comments”, she stated.
Economic Violence
This type of abuse occurs when one’s partner deprives him or her of access to economic resources in the house. The Human Rights Activist noted that “when a man deprives his woman of essential needs after he has asked her to stay at home without working”, this is economic abuse. She added that some men take their partners’ monies in the name of being the head of the house.
Traditional Violence
Esther Darko-Mensah divulged that violence can even exist in our traditions and cultures. She was of the view that even though some parts of our culture and traditions were beautiful, other parts dehumanized people and promotes cruelty. She pointed out that traditions such as widowhood rites may be a form of traditional violence which often leaves the victim depressed and may ultimately cause death.
By: Alberta Dorcas N D Armah