A team from the Police Public Affairs Unit and the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit(DOVVSU) has given a presentation on sexual related issues at the Sacred Heart Cathedral for the Roman Catholic Schools at Ho-Bankoe on Thursday 15th June, 2023.
Present at the programme were Rev Fr Isaac Benuyenah, the staff from the Police and DOVVSU, headteachers, teachers and learners numbering over 600.
Giving the presentation, Madam Juliana Yuiah of DOVVSU touched on defilement, rape, sodomy, causes, places, prevention, effects, punishment, and what to do when the learners find themselves in such situations. She gave several instances to educate the learners.
She informed the learners that sex is for adults and not children so they should not involve in it.
Madam Yuiah explained that, learners should always inform parents of their whereabouts, avoid begging as there is no free lunch, and also avoid touching sensitive parts of each other.
She also added the learners that they should avoid bad friends, wear decent dresses to cover sensitive parts, avoid roaming about unnecessarily, avoid watching bad stuff on the internet.
She also informed them that they should concentrate on school so as to become matured and responsible citizens.
Some of the effects of defilement and rape are teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, loss of virginity, conflicts, illegal abortion, depression, early death, imprisonment, etc.
She explained to the learners that there is a juvenile court to handle children so they should behave responsibly so as to avoid there.
“Defilement happens when a child below 16 years is touched sexually, rape is when the victim is above 16 years, both of them are punishable by law. The victims could be male or female”, Madam Yuiah emphasized.
Madam Juliana Yuiah told the learners to be watchful because they could be harassed by strangers, friends, siblings, parents, pastors, teachers, uncles, and could happen everywhere example washrooms, bedrooms, schools, homes, etc.
She encouraged the learners to visit the DOVVSU or nearest police station to report their challenges and avoid home settlement of sexual related harassment.
The punishment of defilement ranges between 7-25 years imprisonment.
Adding his voice, the Rev Fr Isaac Benuyenah, the local manager for the Catholic schools said to the boys and girls that, “Sex is not for children, none of you here qualifies for it. You will harm yourselves. Early sex could lead to cervical cancer, others, and later death.”
There was a question and answer session which encouraged the learners to interact with the team about their concerns.
Lastly, she told the learners that their teachers are their immediate parents at school, so they should always tell them their challenges.
Photos: The Police Public Affairs Unit, Ho.
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