The Assistant Minister for Women, Children, and Social Protection, Sashi Kiran, expressed that the prevalence of child sexual abuse in Fiji is a matter of national shame. Speaking during her end-of-week statement in Parliament on Friday, she highlighted alarming statistics provided by the Fiji Police Force regarding child sexual abuse reported from 2021 to early 2024.
In 2021, there were 729 reported cases, which significantly rose to 1,034 in 2022, before decreasing to 844 in 2023. However, the first half of 2024 has already seen 324 cases. Minister Kiran pointed out that rape remains the most common offense against children in Fiji.
A detailed analysis of this year’s 324 cases reveals that the majority involve teenagers aged 13 to 17, accounting for 215 cases. Other age groups affected include 94 cases involving children aged 6 to 12 and 15 cases involving infants aged 0 to 5. Among the offenses reported this year, 104 cases were classified as rape, with 71 instances of indecent assault and 60 cases of sexual assault. Females are disproportionately represented as victims, totaling 297.
Despite a slight decrease in the overall number of cases, Kiran emphasized that the statistics should prompt serious reflection and concern throughout the nation. She urged all Fijians to confront the issues of child sexual and domestic abuse head-on. Each month, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) releases disturbing data, illustrating that children are being let down every day, with the average age of the youngest victim being just two years old. The youngest recorded victim was only six months old. According to UNICEF, about five out of six children in Fiji experience abuse or neglect within their families. Kiran strongly advocated for serious action to address these pressing issues.