Female
students have been advised to be mindful of the kind of materials they
display on social media, because it can affect their future.
The
acting Co-ordinator of the Domestic Violence and Victims’ Support Unit
(DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service, Assistant Commissioner of Police
(ACP) Mrs Habiba Twumasi-Sarpong, who gave the advice, observed that
because of youthful exuberance, some young women uploaded their nude
videos and pictures on their phones which were later leaked or uploaded
by themselves on social media.
“ You might
get a great opportunity in future and this same video and picture might
be used by someone against you. So you have to be careful of the kind
of text messages, videos, pictures and audios you post on social media,”
she advised.
Personal security
ACP
Twumasi-Sarpong, who is also the Director of Community Policing, gave
the advice at a sensitisation programme organised by the University of
Ghana Students Representative Council (SRC), in collaboration with the
Community Policing Department and the DOVVSU.
The
programme, which formed part of the women’s week celebration of the
university, was to educate the students on personal security.
ACP
Twumasi-Sarpong advised the students to be careful of drinks that they
took during events or outing with friends, because some of them used
the opportunity to “drug” the women in order to rape them.
On
crime prevention, she stated that although there were security officers
on campus, students could do a lot to protect themselves with the right
information.
She further advised the
students to be vigilant and alert, and be security conscious to enable
them to detect crime in their environment.
Avoid obscure locations
While
explaining that crime occurred when the motivated offender found an
attractive target at a convenient location, she urged them to move in
groups using open spaces, and avoid obscured locations such as bushy
alleys.
She said the sensitisation also
formed part of the initiative by the Ghana Police Service to educate
tertiary students on personal security.
So
far, students of the Lancaster University, Central University College
and the University of Ghana Medical School have undergone such
training.
“It is our expectation that
students will partner, collaborate and assist the Ghana Police Service
with information that will help prevent and detect crime to ensure a
crime-free environment for business development,” ACP Twumasi-Sarpong
stated.
