Reacting to the assault involving Odartey Lamptey and his wife, filmmaker Leila Djansi shifted attention to gendered conditioning, arguing that cultural and religious systems prepare boys and girls for unequal relationships long before adulthood.
Djansi reflected on her upbringing in the Assemblies of God, noting how early messaging shaped identity. “Growing up in the AG church, our motto as little girls in Missionettes was
‘Because we care, we serve,’” she recalled. “Meanwhile the boys were Royal Rangers. The men marched under ‘Men, Action!’ Action against whom?”
According to her, such distinctions are not harmless symbolism. “You see how early they script the roles? Girls serve. Women submit. Boys lead. Men act,” she said. She believes this foundation normalizes male control and makes violence appear like a form of discipline rather than abuse.
Djansi also questioned why harmful traditional rites disproportionately target girls. “Where are our voodoo people? Why are boys never initiated into trokosi? Why only girls?” she asked.
She argued that because these norms are culturally embedded, the community cannot act surprised when violence occurs. “We pretend domestic violence springs from nowhere, but the truth is that society trains girls to endure and trains boys to command,” she stated.
Djansi urged institutions to re-examine the messaging they pass to children, stressing that equitable relationships start with equitable upbringing.
