Abolish medical examination fees for rape victims -Yvonne Nelson
Actress Yvonne Nelson is campaigning for the scrapping of medical examination fees demanded by rape victims.
The outspoken actress has started a Twitter crusade to have the charges absorbed by the state.
Rape victims in Ghana are required to pay between GHC200 – GHC800 to have their bodies medically examined after allegations of rape are made.
It’s a charge that has barred a lot of rape victims from pursuing justice since they cannot afford it.
The actress took to Twitter to have the charges cancelled.
“Victims of rape, sexual assault and defilement have to pay between 300 – 800 GHS ($45-$160) in Ghana before a medical examination can be done to pursue justice. These fees should be abolished. Pls sign this 🙏🏽” she wrote.
Victims of rape, sexual assault and defilement have to pay between 300 – 800 GHS ($45-$160) in Ghana before a medical examination can be done to pursue justice. These fees should be abolished. Pls sign this 🙏🏽 @Ama_K_Abebrese https://t.co/478H2GD3Rf
— 𝓨𝓿𝓸𝓷𝓷𝓮 𝓝𝓮𝓵𝓼𝓸𝓷 (@yvonnenelsongh) June 23, 2020
Yvonne’s tweet comes days after a campaign to stop rape culture in Africa started on various social media platforms.
Uwavera Omozuwa, a 22-year-old student, was raped and murdered in a church in Nigeria.
Nigerian student raped and killed wanted to become minister of God, sister says
She had gone to study in a “quiet” church near her home in Benin City.
Reports suggest the University of Benin student was fatally beaten with a fire extinguisher. Social media went weird over the rape and murder.
A week after her death, Barakat Bello, an 18-year-old student, was also raped and murdered near her house on June 1, 2020, in Nigeria.
The latest to ignite social media rage is the defilement and murder of a five-year-old Sierra Leonean girl, Kadijah.
Kajidah and her older sister, aged eight were raped by their cousin.
The mother of the rapist, an aunt to Kadijah, tried to hide the incident from the victim’s parents.
But she had to come clean after Kadijah died and an autopsy was performed on her corpse.