Sexual Offences Against Children in Ghana: A Review of Ghana’s Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29)

Child sexual abuse and exploitation are very harmful, causing a range of effects on victims. This is exacerbated by the consequences of new technology, which has transformed the kinds of improper conduct that lead to child sexual abuse. This article evaluates Ghana’s Criminal Offences Act to determine whether it is adequately equipped to address child sexual abuse and exploitation. It reveals that since the early 1960s, the Act has not evolved to address emerging forms of sexual exploitation against children, and existing offences, such as rape and defilement, retain a narrower scope than necessary. Thus, it recommends that traditional sexual offences, particularly rape and defilement, be stripped of their antiquated descriptions, rendered gender-neutral and made more punitive to deter sexual predators. Drawing from other Commonwealth countries, the article proposes the creation of new offences to address child pornography, child grooming, child sex tourism and the commercial sexual exploitation of children.