Filmmaker Leila Djansi has sparked conversation about gender conditioning in religious and cultural institutions, arguing that unequal messaging to boys and girls creates foundations for domestic violence later in life.
Djansi’s commentary followed the November 17 arrest of John Odartey Lamptey, who faces charges under the Domestic Violence Act, 2007 (Act 732) after a viral video showed him assaulting his wife at their Ofankor residence. Two of his siblings, Grace Kushie Lamptey and Louis Odartey Lamptey, were also arrested for allegedly attempting to attack a tenant suspected of recording the footage. All three suspects have been remanded until December 3, 2025.
In a Facebook post, Djansi reflected on her upbringing in the Assemblies of God, highlighting how early messaging shaped identity along gender lines. “Growing up in the AG church, our motto as little girls in Missionettes was ‘Because we care, we serve,’” she wrote. “Meanwhile the boys were Royal Rangers. The men marched under ‘Men, Action!’ Action against whom?”
According to the filmmaker, such distinctions carry lasting consequences. “You see how early they script the roles? Girls serve. Women submit. Boys lead. Men act,” she stated. She believes this foundation normalizes male control and transforms what should be recognized as abuse into something that appears like discipline or correction.
Djansi challenged religious institutions on selective scripture interpretation, particularly the commonly cited instruction for wives to submit to their husbands. “The Bible quotation ‘Wives, submit to your husbands’ is a major reason domestic violence persists,” she wrote. “Abusers and their apologists hide behind it to reinforce control.”
She noted that the passage from Ephesians 5 contains nine verses instructing men to love, protect and honor their wives, yet only one line becomes weaponized. “That passage gives three verses to women and nine to men. But only one sentence is weaponized,” she pointed out, arguing that selective emphasis creates power imbalances in religious households.
The filmmaker stated that religious and social structures often shift responsibility onto women. “Only women have to have war rooms. It is as though women must pray, train and discipline their husbands while men escape scrutiny,” she noted. She added that communities downplay violence by assigning spiritual justification, which becomes code for trapping vulnerable women in toxic situations.
Djansi extended her critique to traditional practices, questioning why harmful rites disproportionately target girls. “Where are our voodoo people? Why are boys never initiated into trokosi? Why only girls?” she asked, referencing the outlawed but persistent practice where young virgin girls are sent to fetish shrines as atonement for family offenses.
Trokosi, also known as ritual servitude, remains practiced in parts of Ghana’s Volta Region despite being criminalized in 1998 with a minimum three-year prison sentence. The practice involves families dedicating young girls to shrine priests where they perform domestic labor and face sexual exploitation, often for life or until the family pays ransom. Research estimates thousands of girls have been affected by the system, which continues due to cultural entrenchment, fear of supernatural retribution, and inadequate enforcement.
According to Djansi, society cannot act surprised when violence occurs if these norms remain culturally embedded. “We pretend domestic violence springs from nowhere, but the truth is that society trains girls to endure and trains boys to command,” she stated.
The filmmaker concluded by calling for a nationwide cultural reset. “Religion without guardrails becomes a tool for harm. Until society holds men accountable, these incidents will keep repeating,” she said. She urged institutions to examine the messaging they transmit to children, stressing that equitable relationships require equitable upbringing.
In the Ofankor case, victim Harriet Amuzu has since come forward with her account, stating that Lamptey deliberately lured her back to their home by falsely claiming their youngest child was ill, despite her having moved out five months earlier due to repeated violence. She told investigators that he demanded sex, which she refused, explaining they had been separated. The couple has two children, aged five and two.
Amuzu also revealed that she had previously reported her husband to multiple police stations, but received no help. The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) has confirmed efforts are underway to ensure her safety as investigations continue.
Former Deputy Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Rachel Appoh, commended the Ghana Police Service for the swift arrest and called for stiffer punitive measures. She described domestic violence as a serious crime requiring firm action and appealed to the judiciary to impose harsher punishments on individuals who abuse their partners or children.
