Sister Derby would rather back a liar than stand up for a rapist. Her stance has drawn fresh debate over the abuse claims at Obuasi Senior High Technical School. The Ghanaian singer took aim at people who want the headmaster to face a court ruling before anyone casts blame.
But her issue goes a bit deeper than that. She thinks some people are far more keen to protect the accused than care for those who report abuse. Even when a claim may turn out to be false, she sees a far greater risk in siding with a person guilty of rape.
And she had a few things to say about how people act online. Those who blame alleged victims or try to shut them up came under fire in her post. Gender should not matter either, she argued. Anyone who faces sexual harm deserves care and support.
At the heart of the case is Zakaria Abdulai, the school chief in Ghana's Ashanti Region. The Ghana Education Service has reportedly placed him on leave from his duties after claims of sexual misconduct with female pupils came up.
Manasseh Azure Awuni also drew public attention to the case through his film Inside the Dreaded Headmaster's Bungalow. Its focus was on claims of rape, assault, and sexual harassment linked to about 19 students.
The claims have left Ghanaians with a lot to debate. How schools deal with such reports, what steps they take to keep pupils safe, and how they hold people to account are all part of the talk. For Sister Derby, the main concern is that alleged victims should not lose their voice.
But her issue goes a bit deeper than that. She thinks some people are far more keen to protect the accused than care for those who report abuse. Even when a claim may turn out to be false, she sees a far greater risk in siding with a person guilty of rape.
And she had a few things to say about how people act online. Those who blame alleged victims or try to shut them up came under fire in her post. Gender should not matter either, she argued. Anyone who faces sexual harm deserves care and support.
At the heart of the case is Zakaria Abdulai, the school chief in Ghana's Ashanti Region. The Ghana Education Service has reportedly placed him on leave from his duties after claims of sexual misconduct with female pupils came up.
Manasseh Azure Awuni also drew public attention to the case through his film Inside the Dreaded Headmaster's Bungalow. Its focus was on claims of rape, assault, and sexual harassment linked to about 19 students.
The claims have left Ghanaians with a lot to debate. How schools deal with such reports, what steps they take to keep pupils safe, and how they hold people to account are all part of the talk. For Sister Derby, the main concern is that alleged victims should not lose their voice.
