The number of children experiencing sexual abuse from trusted individuals continues to rise, as evidenced by recent statistics from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
Assistant Minister for Women Sashi Kiran has expressed concern over the alarming rates of child abuse in Fiji, emphasizing that these figures should provoke introspection and shame within the nation.
In August alone, more than 70 sexual offense-related charges were filed against 26 individuals, including one juvenile among the accused. According to the ODPP, there were 24 victims, 15 of whom were under the age of 18. The victims included two males and 22 females.
The majority of the reported cases involved family members abusing minors. For instance, a 76-year-old man faces charges for allegedly raping his eight-year-old granddaughter. In another case, a 56-year-old man has been charged with three counts of raping his 16-year-old granddaughter.
Additionally, a 72-year-old man was charged with two counts of raping his 17-year-old stepdaughter; however, this case was discontinued following the accused’s death. Other serious allegations include a 40-year-old man charged with multiple counts of raping his eight-year-old daughter and a 35-year-old man facing charges related to the rape and sexual assault of his 14-year-old stepdaughter.
Other cases involve a 56-year-old man charged with raping his 13-year-old niece, and a 21-year-old who was charged with the rape of his 25-year-old niece. Moreover, a 40-year-old man is facing charges of rape and sexual assault against his 17-year-old niece.
The ODPP has stated that eight cases were discontinued due to insufficient and inconsistent evidence following nolle prosequi filings.