The Fiji Police Force has expressed deep concern over a marked rise in crimes against children, reporting a 25 percent increase last month. Acting Commissioner of Police Sakeo Raikaci revealed that 138 cases of crimes against children were documented, comprising 93 girls and 45 boys.
Among these cases, 54 percent were classified as sexual offences, while 33 percent involved assaults, and 13 percent were categorized as other types of offences. Additionally, 22 percent of the incidents were domestic in nature, involving family relationships such as those between cousins and parent-child dynamics.
Mr. Raikaci noted that the uptick in crimes against children can primarily be attributed to a rise in assault cases, which grew from 23 to 35, as well as an increase in abductions of individuals under 18, from five to 22 cases, and sexual assaults that escalated from seven to 20 cases. Overall, the crime rate increased by eight percent compared to the same month last year, with serious crimes rising by 11 percent. Crimes against women also saw a four percent increase.
In terms of accountability, Mr. Raikaci announced that five police officers faced charges last month for various offences, including sexual misconduct, assault, drug offences, and breaches of Domestic Violence Restraining Orders (DVRO). He highlighted that police officers are not only enforcers of the law but can also fall victim to crime during their duties, citing 25 serious assault cases against officers, along with incidents of obstruction and resisting arrest.
Furthermore, Mr. Raikaci reported that the month of August saw 143 drug-related cases, compared to the same period last year, with 138 related to the unlawful possession of illicit drugs and five involving unlawful cultivation. A total of 135 individuals faced charges for drug offences, including three students.
Mr. Raikaci acknowledged the growing support from religious and community leaders in addressing crime. He stressed the importance of maintaining collaborative efforts to foster safer communities and encouraged the public to report any suspicious activities or crimes through the Crime Stoppers hotline.