- The case has significant legal and social implications
- The stepfather refused to provide financial support for the girl and her baby
- The girl's current living situation raises immediate welfare concerns
The Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) in Ho has launched an investigation into a distressing case involving a 15-year-old girl who has taken refuge outside her home after giving birth to her stepfather’s child.
The teenager, from Anfoeta-Wadamaxe in the Ho West District of the Volta Region, fled her family home due to conflicts between her mother’s and stepfather’s families, despite her mother continuing to live with the stepfather.
Currently, the girl is residing with her 80-year-old maternal grandmother in the community. According to Mr. Roland Kumfo, the Ho West District Director of Social Welfare, the baby was born on April 9 this year.
Mr. Kumfo revealed that the girl’s stepfather, a farmer whose name is being withheld for privacy reasons, has admitted to impregnating his stepdaughter but has refused to provide any support for the child or the young mother.
Furthermore, the stepfather has declined to meet with the Department of Social Welfare to discuss the situation and arrange interim support for the girl and her baby.
Additionally, the stepfather has refused to appear before the Paramount Chief of Anfoeta, Togbe Kwesi Drah VII, and his council of elders who had summoned him to address his actions.
In Ewe communities, it is a serious offense for a man to engage in a sexual relationship with a woman related to his wife by blood. Such cases typically result in significant fines and ritualistic rites to appease local deities.
