Obuasi SHTS Abuse: 3 Girls Withdraw from Gender Ministry Engagement Over Media Coverage Fears

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection says its efforts to engage some victims in the alleged sexual abuse case at Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS) have been affected by media reports that allegedly revealed their identities.

Gender Minister Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey said two or three of the girls had withdrawn from the process after hearing their full names mentioned in media reports, raising concerns about the protection of their identities.

Explaining the difficulties, Dr Lartey said the media coverage had affected the ministry’s engagement with the victims.

“One of the challenges we’ve had engaging the victims is that the media has not helped the case,” she said.

She added that the disclosure of the students’ names had led some of them to pull out of the process.

“Two or three of the students have had to withdraw because they heard their names being mentioned fully, their full names.”

Dr Lartey said the situation had also made some parents hesitant to continue cooperating with officials working on the case.

“And because of that, the parents are reluctant to engage further,” she explained.

She further noted that concealing the girls’ faces in media reports had not always protected their identities, as some friends and relatives had reportedly recognised them by their voices.

“Even those that were covered, their faces were covered. Some friends and family members were able to identify their voices, and it is going against them.”

According to the minister, the challenges could affect efforts to support the students and their families as the authorities work to address the allegations.

She appealed to journalists and media organisations to exercise caution in their reporting, stressing that the need to inform the public should not compromise the safety and privacy of the victims.

“As much as we want the stories, as much as we want the news, I will appeal to all of us: we are in this together,” she said.

Dr Lartey emphasised that protecting the identities of the girls was a collective responsibility, warning that failures in one part of the process could affect the broader pursuit of justice.

“It is not if one system fails; it is not just that system but all of us who depend on that system to ensure that we come to a conclusion and we seek justice for victims, we’ll all be affected one way or the other,” she added.

The minister also expressed concern about the pressure some of the students had reportedly faced from journalists seeking interviews about their experiences.

She said repeated questions and persistent requests for interviews could place additional burdens on the girls at a time when they needed support.

“The victims have also been overwhelmed with questions. They’ve had media persons harassing them for interviews, and this is not the time you ask a victim to come for an interview.”

She urged media practitioners to avoid pressuring the students to speak publicly about their experiences and instead use other sources and perspectives when reporting on the case.

“I will appeal to you; don’t let us make stories that can be told from different points of view, rather than directly from the children,” she said.