Executive Director of the Ark Foundation and a leading women’s rights advocate, Dr Angela Dwamena Aboagye has expressed concern over the growing epidemic of domestic violence against women, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Her comment came after a man was captured in a viral video brutally assaulting a woman believed to be his wife has been remanded into police custody, along with two others accused of trying to threaten a witness.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Friday, November 21, Dr Dwamena Aboagye condemned the disturbing rise in gender-based violence, referencing a viral video of an abusive incident that left her “livid.”
The Ark Foundation leader explained that, upon watching the video, she was unable to continue due to the shock and disbelief of the man’s actions.
“I just went livid watching this video,” she said. “I couldn’t find the courage to sit through to watch this because I was wondering exactly what was happening. I just couldn’t fathom what may have triggered this man to behave the way he was behaving. It seemed very unbelievable to me.”
While acknowledging the seriousness of the incident, Dr Dwamena Aboagye commended the individual who had the courage to record and publish the footage, citing that it is a crucial step towards accountability.
She stressed, however, that such violence is far from an isolated case, describing it as “quite a common spectacle” across many parts of Sub-Saharan Africa.
Dr Dwamena Aboagye highlighted alarming global statistics that demonstrate the widespread nature of domestic abuse.
“In 2023, about 140 women were killed every day globally by their partner or close relatives,” she revealed.
She noted that this violence is particularly severe in Africa, where rates of domestic violence and intimate partner killings are disproportionately high.
“In Africa, the rate of women dying as a result of spousal abuse is 2.5% per every 100,000 female population,” Dr Dwamena Aboagye continued.
“Domestic violence against women is quite pervasive in Africa, and the poorer and less educated the society, the more prevalent the crime.”
The statistics on intimate partner violence are equally troubling. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), by 2024, it is estimated that 17% of women aged 15 years and older in Sub-Saharan Africa will have experienced physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner.
A significant driver of this violence, Dr Dwamena Aboagye pointed out, is the widespread practice of child marriage, which continues to affect thousands of young girls across the continent.
“In Africa, there is a lot of child marriage happening, where these abuses are taking place because these children are married off to older men,” she said. “We have to address this, and we have to address it decisively.”
The issue of marital rape was also raised, with Dr Dwamena Aboagye calling for a shift in societal attitudes towards gender-based violence.
“I honestly do not understand how some men think it is okay to engage in gender-based violence against women at the very least trigger,” she said. “So this includes rape, and there is marital rape. Men should understand that women are equally autonomous. Men have got to school themselves to appreciate that women are autonomous, and the rights that men are entitled to in marriages, women are equally entitled to.”