The Assistant Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection, Sashi Kiran, stated that the data on child sexual abuse is a disgrace for Fiji as a country. She expressed these thoughts during her end-of-week address in Parliament on Friday.
Ms. Kiran presented the latest statistics from the Fiji Police Force regarding child sexual abuse cases reported from 2021 through 2023, including the first half of 2024. In 2021, there were 729 reported cases, which increased to 1,034 in 2022, followed by a decrease to 844 cases in 2023. For the first six months of 2024, there have already been 324 cases reported.
She noted that rape remains the most common crime against children in Fiji. Breaking down the figures for this year, of the 324 cases reported, 215 involved children aged 13-17 years, 94 involved those aged 6-12 years, and 15 involved infants aged 0-5 years. Specifically, there were 104 cases of rape, 71 cases of indecent assault, and 60 cases of sexual assault, with females making up the vast majority of victims, totaling 297.
Despite a downward trend in the overall numbers, Ms. Kiran emphasized that these statistics do not capture the complete picture. She called for reflection and shame over these figures, urging all Fijians to take action against child sexual and domestic abuse.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) continues to release alarming data demonstrating that children are consistently failing to get the protection they need. Furthermore, the average age of the youngest victims of child sexual abuse has been reported as two years old, with the youngest recorded victim being just six months old. According to UNICEF, five out of every six children in Fiji face abuse or neglect from their families. Ms. Kiran stressed the importance of taking these issues seriously.