Last year, Fiji recorded a total of 3,638 cases of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), as disclosed by Minister for Communications Manoa Kamikamica during a parliamentary session today.
Kamikamica highlighted that web traffic to pornographic sites in Fiji ranks among the top 10 globally. He noted, “The internet, while a powerful tool for progress, has regrettably amplified the activities of cyber criminals and created a space for predators aiming to exploit the innocence of children. Online child sexual abuse is an extension of the broader threat of child sexual abuse.”
He emphasized the alarming nature of these statistics, which underscore the impact on society and reiterated the importance of ensuring safety both online and offline.
The minister pointed out that adult content and pornography occupy a significant share of network traffic in Fiji, exceeding that of other online services. In 2022 alone, 245 electronic service providers submitted over 35 million reports of suspected CSAM.
Kamikamica mentioned that in 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received 3,638 suspected Child Sexual Exploitation Material (CSEM) reports from Fiji. He indicated that one of the critical actions is for law enforcement to investigate these Cyber Tip reports, revealing ongoing discussions with NCMEC and the Fiji Police Force, supported by the U.S. Government for necessary training.
The next meeting of the National Taskforce is scheduled for November, where working groups will share their findings aimed at effectively tackling issues related to pornography and sexual abuse.