Reports of crimes against children are rising, with the Fiji Police Force noting an eight percent increase in cases last month. Acting Police Commissioner ACP Sakeo Raikaci highlighted that the overall crime rate in September surged by 28 percent compared to the same month last year.
In total, there were 117 reported cases of crimes against children, including 90 female and 27 male victims. The breakdown of these incidents showed that 66 percent were sexual offenses, 29 percent were assault-related, and five percent were classified under other offences.
Notably, the Western and Central divisions experienced decreases in reported cases, with drops of 47 percent and 29 percent, respectively, while other divisions saw an increase. ACP Raikaci pointed out that 15 percent of these crimes were domestic-related, involving family members such as parents and siblings.
The most significant factor contributing to the increase in crimes against children was the rise in cases of assault causing actual bodily harm, which rose from 18 to 26 cases.