Nearly half of women face domestic violence at district level – GSS Report

The Central Region has become Ghana’s main hotspot for domestic violence, recording the highest rate of physical abuse at 44.6%.

It is followed by the Savannah Region at 42.9% and the Volta Region at 40.2%.

These figures come from new District-Level Small Area Estimation findings released by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS).

The analysis draws on data from the 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey and the 2021 Population and Housing Census.

According to the report, the Volta Region recorded the highest rate of sexual violence at 22.3%, well above the national trend.

The Central and Savannah regions follow with 19.6% each, while the North East Region reported the lowest rate at 5.2%.

The report also highlights district-level inequalities that national averages often hide.

Sawla-Tuna-Kalba in the Savannah Region recorded the most alarming figure nationwide, with 61.9% of women aged 15–49 estimated to have experienced at least one form of domestic violence, whether physical, emotional, or sexual.

In contrast, districts in the Bono, Bono East, Upper West, and North East regions reported much lower levels of physical violence, some below 25%, underscoring significant protection gaps across the country.

The GSS stresses that protecting women in high-risk districts requires targeted, district-specific interventions, especially in the Central, Volta, and Savannah regions where violence rates are highest.

The Service also emphasises the need to strengthen institutions such as the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), family courts, and district gender desks by providing adequate staffing and resources to respond to increasing cases.

Additionally, the GSS urges the government to incorporate the new district-level data into local planning and budgeting, ensuring that funding and programmes reach the communities most at risk.

The report further recommends engaging traditional and religious leaders to challenge harmful social norms that fuel domestic violence and discourage victims from reporting.