tribe, located in the Volta region of Ghana, to repay past crimes. Oftentimes, young girls were given away to priests and would become concubines of that priest. In 1998, a law was passed in Ghana that abolished "customary or ritual servitude." Efforts have been made by both the government and non-governmental organizations to end acts of violence against women. The Women and Juvenile Unit (WAJU), now known as the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVSU), was established in 1998 for the purpose of handling crimes against women and children. In 2001, the government created the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs (MWCA) to help non-government organizations and the government in their efforts to address issues of violence against women. Domestic violence There are multiple factors that are believed to be influential in the high rates of domestic violence in Ghana. Cultural norms and practices play a large role in attitudes and perceptions of domestic violence. Traditional gender roles in Ghana keep women in the homes to care of the children, while men are expected to be the breadwinners. Spousal abuse is more common when women choose to follow a career outside the home. Education is also linked to domestic violence. Men who have higher education in Ghana generally do not condone physically abusing their wife. A study done in the BMC Public Health journal found that it is "48% less likely for women to experience domestic violence when husbands had higher than secondary education." The practice of polygyny in Ghana also contributes to rates of domestic violence. Women who are part of polygynous marriages generally experience higher rates of domestic violence. Additionally, women who are in polygynous marriages are "more likely to come from households where their mothers experienced domestic violence," according to a study done by Ickowitz & Mohanty. Women in urban areas face different rates of domestic violence than women in rural areas in Ghana. The risk of women facing domestic violence increases by 35% if residing in urban areas. This could be because "most of the women in urban areas may reside in slums or poor urban areas and/or may have higher wealth index (economic status) which may increase their risk of domestic violence." The Ghanaian government has attempted to end domestic violence against women. The Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVSU) is a police unit specifically focused on cases about crimes against women and