Obuasi:Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has provided an update on the Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS) sexual assault case. The minister revealed that three girls, allegedly assaulted by their headmaster, have withdrawn from engagement with the Ministry after some media outlets reportedly disclosed their identities.
According to Ghana Web, the exposure of the victims' identities has made some parents reluctant to continue cooperating with Ministry officials. Dr. Lartey expressed concern that this development has negatively impacted efforts to support the victims, highlighting the challenges faced in engaging with them.
During a media briefing following the reopening of Obuasi SHTS, Dr. Lartey appealed to journalists to exercise restraint when reporting on sensitive matters. She warned that coverage of the Obuasi SHTS case could expose victims to further difficulties. She noted that two or three students withdrew from the process after their full names were mentioned in media reports, causing parents to hesitate in further engagement.
Dr. Lartey also pointed out that even victims whose faces were covered in media reports were identified by friends and family through their voices, complicating the Ministry's efforts. She emphasized the need for journalists to protect the privacy of the girls while reporting on the case.
Additionally, the minister addressed the pressure the victims have faced from media personnel seeking interviews, stating that now is not the time to request interviews from the victims. She urged journalists to find alternative ways to report on the matter without putting the children directly in the spotlight, appealing for stories to be told from different perspectives to allow the victims to trust the process and work together with the Ministry.