Barriers for Survivors: Fighting Stigma in Ghana and the U.S.

By Emma Heffer, I Have The Right To Intern

Survivors of sexual and domestic abuse face various barriers in pursuit of justice and healing – these obstacles are influenced by law, culture, and access, but many share a common root: stigma. After having the unique opportunity to work with legal and advocacy organizations in Ghana, I was provided with firsthand insight into the deep societal and physical barriers survivors face. These challenges, while unique in their distinct cultural influence, reflect a broader, global issue. This article explores the specific barriers in Ghana, their parallels with American obstructions to justice, and how we can all be a part of the fight against stigma facing survivors. 

Barriers Facing Survivors in Ghana

With over 80 diverse languages spoken throughout Ghana, the pervasive issue of stigma surrounding sexual and domestic abuse transcends cultural lines. Throughout my time in Ghana, I was provided insight into the barriers both survivors and lawyers face in the fight against abuse, learning that these limitations come from all angles: lack of resources, societal pressure, and cultural expectations. For many women attempting to find support, environmental limitations are the most immediate. These are the most direct reasons they are unable to physically receive assistance. In Ghana, due to a lack of resources, the cost of legal representation is significant, making it a potentially unrealistic option for many survivors. While organizations like the Legal Aid Commission of Ghana aim to address these barriers by providing free legal services for those who qualify financially, there still remains a significant gap between those searching for support and those able to receive it. Alongside the financial burden of legal representation, child support, and care is one of the most important factors for many women in Ghana. Many women choose not to disclose instances of sexual abuse, especially cases where their husband is the offender, for the sake of their children’s security. By reporting misconduct, they are potentially assuming the complete physical and financial responsibility of their entire family, a burden that many women are unable to meet. 

While these environmental constraints facing survivors are immediate and impactful, societal impacts also prove to be a significant factor in a survivor’s decision to report abuse. During my time at the Ark Foundation, an organization that provides women facing abuse a safe and secure shelter, the social workers and lawyers explained to me that the most common reason that survivors are discouraged from going to the authorities is due to religious and cultural stigmatization. Survivors explain that respecting the sanctity and privacy of one’s marriage is of utmost importance in Ghanaian culture, and reporting an issue could expose survivors to public scrutiny from their community. This societal expectation that privacy supersedes safety and justice leads many women to face continual abuse for years. While resources fighting against sexual and domestic abuse in Ghana have continued to develop and expand, these organizations are not only fighting against the crime, they are fighting against the stigma – the pair making for an increasingly difficult fight. Getting a firsthand look at the influential stigma that many survivors in Ghana face, inhibiting them from reaching justice and protection, led me to examine the stigma prevalent in America.

Stigma Facing Survivors in America & Victim Blaming

Stigma facing survivors of sexual abuse is not just a reality in Ghana, but across America as well. This stigma has many harmful manifestations, leading many survivors to bear the burden of abuse alone, instead of reaching out for support. One of the most harmful forms of stigma is commonly known as victim blaming. Victim blaming is defined as “someone saying, implying, or treating a person who has experienced harmful or abusive behaviour like it was a result of something they did or said, instead of placing the responsibility where it belongs: on the person who harmed them”. Victim blaming has casually, but deeply, infused itself  within settings like high schools and college campuses. Commonly, in response to an abuse, you may hear comments like “Well, what were you wearing?” or “How much did you have to drink?”. While these comments may seem like a harmless way to gather information, in reality, they infuse an accusatory undertone within conversations. This harmful victim-blaming mentality has the potential to contribute to the top fear of sexual abuse survivors: not being believed.

One of the root causes of victim blaming is for individuals to confirm their own vulnerability to the risk. By accusing the victim, instead of supporting them, others can see the victim as different from themselves, allowing them to believe that if they are unlike the victim, the same abuse would not happen to them. This damaging coping mechanism can be destructive to a positive system of reporting and support for survivors of sexual abuse. 

What Can You Do to Help Stop Victim Blaming?

There are easy and simple steps individuals can take to help prevent victim blaming. By adopting these small adjustments in verbal responses, you can help contribute to a larger, communal mindset. When a survivor comes to someone to share their story, it can be a deeply emotional and vulnerable moment, which should be met with a sense of acknowledgement. Simply saying “thank you for trusting me with what happened” can provide a sense of assurance and courage for the survivor. After laying this foundation of support, it is crucial to remind the survivor that what happened was not their fault. This reminder helps to remove misplaced guilt or shame that many survivors feel as a result of the societal victim-blaming mentality. 

Additionally, it is important to remember that details aren’t required for belief. A survivor is not required to outline all the details of their abuse for them to trust that you will believe their story. By expressing this during a conversation, it can release pressure by reinforcing that survivors should be believed without having to share each and every detail. 

Survivor stigma is prevalent and damaging to creating an ecosystem of respect and support. By educating yourself on the root causes, manifestations, and consequences of issues like victim blaming, you can help to fight against them. Small actions like fostering a sense of trust between your peers can make a significant difference for survivors struggling to reach out. While this stigma will not disappear overnight, action must be taken to help survivors of sexual abuse feel safe to come forward and share their stories.

Sources
Apatinga, Gervin A., and Eric Y. Tenkorang. “Barriers to Help-Seeking for Sexual Violence Among Married or Cohabiting Women in Ghana.” Violence against Women 28, nos. 15–16 (2022): 3844–64. https://doi.org/10.1177/10778012211060861.

Sexual Assault Centre Of Edmonton. “Victim Blaming.” Whether It’s in Day to Day Conversation or in the Media, a Common Response to Disclosures or Mentions of Sexual Assault Is a Phenomenon Called Victim Blaming. But What Is Victim Blaming?, May 26, 2020. 209. https://www.sace.ca/learn/victim-blaming/.

Southern Connecticut State University. “Rape Culture, Victim Blaming, And The Facts.” Inside Southern. Accessed September 11, 2025. https://inside.southernct.edu/sexual-misconduct/facts.