Fiji’s Assistant Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection, Sashi Kiran, expressed that the statistics surrounding child sexual abuse in the country should be a matter of national shame. She made this statement during her report to Parliament on Friday, where she revealed the latest figures from the Fiji Police Force, covering incidents reported from 2021 to mid-2024.
According to the data, 729 cases of child sexual abuse were recorded in 2021, which rose to 1,034 cases in 2022, before declining to 844 cases in 2023. So far, 324 cases have been reported in the first half of 2024. Kiran highlighted that rape remains the most common offense against children in Fiji.
The breakdown of the 2024 data shows that among the 324 cases reported, 215 involved children aged 13 to 17, 94 cases involved those aged 6 to 12, and 15 cases were infants aged 0 to 5 years. Specifically, there were 104 cases of rape, 71 cases of indecent assault, and 60 cases of sexual assault. Notably, females represented the vast majority of the victims, totaling 297.
Despite a slight decline in overall numbers, Kiran emphasized that these alarming statistics reflect a critical issue that demands serious self-reflection as a nation. She called upon all Fijians to actively address the pervasive problems of child sexual and domestic abuse. Kiran pointed out that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) regularly releases distressing data that reveals ongoing failures to protect children adequately.
She noted that in the past six years, the average age of the youngest victim of child sexual abuse has been just two years old, with the youngest recorded victim being only six months. Additionally, UNICEF data indicates that five out of every six children in Fiji experience abuse or neglect at the hands of their families. Kiran urged for immediate action and seriousness regarding these issues.