Sashi Kiran, the Assistant Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection, expressed that the data on child sexual abuse in Fiji should be a source of national shame. She conveyed her concerns during her weekly statement in Parliament last Friday.
Kiran shared the latest statistics from the Fiji Police Force regarding child sexual abuse cases reported between 2021 and mid-2024. In 2021, there were 729 reported cases, which increased to 1,034 in 2022, before declining to 844 in 2023. So far, in the first half of 2024, there have already been 324 reported cases.
She highlighted that rape is the most common offense against children in Fiji. A detailed breakdown of this year’s statistics revealed that among the 324 cases, 215 victims were aged between 13 to 17 years, 94 were between 6 to 12 years, and 15 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. Females accounted for the majority of the victims, with 297 cases reported.
Despite a declining trend in the number of cases, Kiran emphasized that the raw statistics do not fully represent the gravity of the situation. She urged all Fijians to confront the realities of child sexual and domestic abuse, pointing out that the monthly data released by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions reveals the daily failures to protect children.
A harrowing statistic highlighted by Kiran noted that the average age of the youngest victim over the past six years has been just two years old, with the youngest being a mere six months old. According to UNICEF data, five out of every six children in Fiji experience abuse or neglect from their families. Kiran reiterated the urgent need for the nation to take these issues seriously.