A survey analysis of barriers to help-seeking at the Ghana Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU)

Previous research suggest many women do not seek help after experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) in Ghana. Of those who seek help, many do not report their experiences to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU)—a department of the Ghana Police Service mandated by the government to handle matters related to domestic violence. This study examined barriers to help-seeking at DOVVSU using data from 565 Ghanaian female victims of IPV and employing logit models. Results indicate a substantial proportion of the respondents did not know if police stations in their communities had DOVVSU units. Those who did not know were significantly less likely to seek help than those who knew about the service (AOR = 0.301).. Women who perceived ‘shame’ (AOR = 0.414) and ‘financial constraints’ (AOR = 0.387) as barriers were significantly less likely to report or seek help at DOVVSU than those who mentioned ‘guilt’. Those who trusted the police were more likely to seek help from DOVVSU (AOR = 1.65) than those who did not. Compared to those with no education, highly educated women had higher odds of seeking help from DOVVSU (AOR-2.36). Our findings suggest the need to improve the visibility of DOVVSU and to intensify education on IPV. In addition, the Ghanaian government should expedite the establishment of the domestic violence fund to mitigate women’s financial constraints in accessing help.