PLACEMENTS FOR SHS OUT *178,529 miss the boat

Published in the Daily Graphic on 28/08/2010, pg 11

Article: Matilda Attram
ONE of the results of domestic violence is mental health problems, such as major depression, post traumatic stress disorder, among others.
According to the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mrs Betty Mould-Iddrisu, domestic violence was not only a legal problem. It is a multifaceted problem and its solution demands a multidisciplinary approach.
One way Ghana has responded to domestic violence is through criminal prosecution, and this is a system which usually brings victims face-to-face with perpetrators in the court of law. After the system had run its course, a perpetrator is either convicted and jailed or discharged and acquitted.
Speaking at a dialogue session to engage clinical psychologists in the implementation of the Domestic Violence Act (DV Act), 2007 (Act 732), in Accra, Mrs Mould-Iddrisu pointed out that most victims were often left embittered, emotionally distraught and unattended to after gruesome court battles.
The programme brought together clinical psychologists from various parts of the country to share their experiences in their fields of study. They were also expected to come up with measures that would earn them maximum recognition in the legal system of the country, especially in the implementation of the DV Act.
Mrs Mould-Iddrisu declared that human behaviour was complex and cognisant of the fact that clinical psychologists, who were trained in the scientific study of human behaviour, had a major role to play in all sectors of the legal system of a country.
She said psychologists had a critical role to play to meet the mental health needs of victims of domestic violence and this role of clinical psychologists was duly recognised within the DV Act, which was the first legislation in Ghana to recognise clinical psychologists and assign them specific roles.
According to her, the disciplines of law and psychology worked together to produce results that could better situations in society, adding, "The forgoing makes the involvement of psychologists in the justice system very imperative as their services are being sought at different points in the criminal justice system.”
Mrs Mould-Iddrisu added that in other jurisdictions, psychologists assisted in the assessment of individuals to provide clinical judgement that informed the police, courts, the prison or probation services on the psychological functioning of an individual.
"This, in a way can influence the different processes of the criminal justice system. For example, a psychologist may be asked to assess individuals in order to determine whether they are fit to stand trial or whether they have a mental illness which means that they would not understand the proceedings", she added.
She further emphasised the need for psychologists to be involved in the prison system since they helped to transform inmates to enable them fit back into society after serving their jail term.
She assured participants of her support to engage clinical psychologists in the legal system of the country.
In his welcome address, the National Co-ordinator for Domestic Violence Coalition at the Methodist University College of Ghana, Mr Adolf Awuku Bekoe, indicated that the group stood to strengthen the implementation of the DV Act and its related issues.
He expressed optimism that the workshop would attract stakeholders to give clinical psychologists the opportunity to contribute their quota to the development of the country.
In a statement, the Chairman for the occasion, Professor Charles Mate-Korle of the Department of Psychology at the University of Ghana, called on the government to find ways of engaging psychologists in all aspects of the adjudication system.
The clinical psychologists in turn called on the government to give them maximum recognition in the legal system of the country, especially in the implementation of the DV Act.
The Coalition on Domestic Violence Legislation in Ghana consists of a group of organisations such as the Association of Women Lawyers, Action Aid and FIDA among others who work in collaboration with the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs (MOWAC) to fight for the needs of the vulnerable in society.