Some Epidemiological Characteristics of Perpetrators and Victims of Incest in Contemporary Ghana: Analysis of Media Reports

ABSTRACT

In Ghana, incest is considered sinful, taboo, and illegal. However, recent media reports show that incest has become a daily reality in Ghana. This study is a situational analysis of the pattern of incest in Ghana as reported in the media from January 2008 through July 2015. Qualitative content analysis was conducted on 48 incest news reports in Ghana. The findings showed that father–daughter incest was most frequent across the study period. Forty-seven females aged 3 to 25 years and a male aged 3 years were identified as victims. Generally, the incest lasted between 1 day and 13 years before disclosure. Perpetrators employed psychological and/or physical methods to coerce their victims. Marital difficulties, diabolical control, and seduction by victim featured prominently as alleged motives behind the abuse. The study observes that the recent increase in father–daughter incest warrants an immediate shift of research attention onto men’s mental health in Ghana.

KEYWORDS:

• child sexual abuse
• diabolical control
• father–daughter incest
• marital difficulties
• violence against women

Acknowledgment

We express our sincerest gratitude to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service for giving us access to useful data during the write-up.

Notes

¹ “Galamsey operators” or “galamseyers”—the terms are used interchangeably in Ghana to mean local artisanal small-scale gold miners. The miners usually dig gold from the earth, wash away the soil and gravel, and gather the mineral and sell it, hence, the name “galamsey,” a locally coined term which literally means “gather them and sell.” Generally, galamsey is illegal in Ghana as galamseyers usually operate without license and their activities threaten public and environmental health [source: Daily Guide. (2013). Retrieved from https://www.modernghana.com/news/472110/galamsey-a-canker-in-western-region.html].

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Emmanuel N.-B. Quarshie

Emmanuel Nii-Boye Quarshie is a PhD candidate in the School of Psychology, University of Leeds, UK. He was, until recently, an assistant lecturer in the Department of Psychology, University of Ghana, Legon. His research interests center on community mental health (with focus on children and youth), sexual abuse, and implementation science. His current research explores self-harm and suicide in adolescents in Ghana using mixed methodologies.

Joseph Osafo

Joseph Osafo, PhD, is a senior lecturer in the Department of Psychology, School of Social Sciences at the University of Ghana, Legon. His research interests focus on suicidal behavior and cultural contexts influencing its expression and prevention. His publication focuses on attitudes toward suicide, religion and mental health, adolescent sexuality, and sexual abuse.

Charity S. Akotia

Charity S. Akotia, PhD, is an associate professor at the Department of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon. She has been teaching and researching since 1992. Her specialty is social/community psychology, and her main research interest focuses on suicide and suicide prevention in a cross-cultural context. Her publications focus on the meaning(s) of suicide, attitudes toward suicide, motivations for suicide, and suicide and the law. She also researches on gender, work, and mental health.

Jennifer Peprah

Jennifer Peprah, MPhil, is an assistant lecturer at the Department of Psychology at the University of Ghana. Currently, her research interests are in the area of bereavement, sexual abuse, and drug and alcohol addiction. She received her MPhil from the University of Ghana, Legon.

Johnny Andoh-Arthur

Johnny Andoh-Arthur is a PhD candidate in health science at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway. His research interests focus on understanding suicide and mental health in social and cultural contexts. He received his MPhil from NTNU, Trondheim, Norway, and BA from University of Ghana.