The United States National Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) reported receiving 3,638 suspected cases of child sexual exploitation material (CSEM) from Fiji in 2023. This information was disclosed by Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica during a parliamentary session concerning the National Taskforce to Address Pornography.
Kamikamica explained that the NCMEC operates a Cyber Tip Line, which serves as a national clearing house for leads related to child exploitation. Under U.S. law, electronic service providers must report such cases. A significant majority, around 99 percent, of these cyber tips originate from companies like Meta, Google, and TikTok, with a smaller portion coming from the public.
He emphasized the urgent need for local law enforcement to investigate these reports and noted ongoing discussions with NCMEC and the Fiji Police Force. The United States Government is providing training to support these efforts, building on previous training sessions.
Kamikamica urged parents, guardians, and communities to be cautious about the images and videos of children shared online. He stressed the importance of not uploading inappropriate pictures or videos, as these can be exploited by offenders in harmful ways. He called for collective action to protect children in both physical and digital spaces.