The Gender Department of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has cautioned the public to desist from settling cases of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) at home. Mrs Thywill Kpe, the Volta Regional Gender Officer, said such cases were criminal and must be reported to the police immediately for the prosecution of perpetrators. Speaking at a stakeholder gathering in Cape Coast, she stressed that crimes must be reported immediately to protect the life of the victims as well as the evidence. 'Violence maims, destroys and kills and so if something like that happens, report immediately to the police and don't tamper with the evidence,' she emphasised. 'We all have a stake in preventing SGBV and ensuring that offenders are prosecuted. Let's all do our part for the good of Ghana,' she added. Mrs Kpe advised that persons, sexually or physically abused should, with the support of their family or friends, seek medical help promptly to avert its attendant consequences such as sexual transmi tted infections or pregnancy. 'Usually, we tend to blame and isolate victims of rape and defilement and call them bad children; it very wrong to do that. Nobody has the right to abuse anyone under any circumstance. 'In such harrowing moments, seek for psychological help for them; they need counselling and not blame and insult,' she added. To mitigate the incidence of SGBV, the gender officer advocated the abolition or modification of harmful religious and cultural practices against women and girls. 'We need to enact by-laws in our communities to address such cases and increase advocacy to end it. And while at that, we have to empower our women and girls to be more assertive,' she said. Source: Ghana News Agency