Fiji’s Assistant Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection, Sashi Kiran, expressed that the data on child sexual abuse should be a source of national shame. Speaking in Parliament on Friday, Ms. Kiran presented recent statistics from the Fiji Police Force regarding child sexual abuse cases from 2021 to 2024.
According to the data, there were 729 reported cases in 2021, an increase to 1,034 cases in 2022, followed by a decrease to 844 cases in 2023. As of June 2024, there have been 324 reported cases. She highlighted that rape remains the most common offense against children in Fiji.
This year’s data reveals that, out of the 324 cases reported, 215 involve children aged 13-17 years, 94 cases involve children aged 6-12 years, and 15 cases are infants aged 0-5 years. Of these instances, there were 104 cases of rape, 71 cases of indecent assault, and 60 cases of sexual assault. Notably, females represent the majority of the victims, with 297 identified.
Despite a decline in overall cases, Ms. Kiran stressed that the raw numbers hide a troubling reality, emphasizing the need for the nation to reflect on these figures. She urged all Australians to address the critical issue of child sexual and domestic abuse, highlighting that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) regularly releases alarming data showcasing the ongoing neglect of children’s safety.
The statistics further indicate that the average age of the youngest victims of sexual abuse over the past six years is just two years old, with the youngest victim being only six months old. UNICEF data also shows that five out of six children in Fiji experience abuse or neglect from their families. Ms. Kiran called for serious action to tackle these alarming trends.