Assistant Minister for Women, Children, and Social Protection Sashi Kiran expressed that the statistics on child sexual abuse in Fiji should evoke feelings of shame for the nation. She made these comments during her end-of-week statement in Parliament on Friday, where she shared alarming data from the Fiji Police Force regarding reported cases of child sexual abuse from 2021 to 2023, including the first half of 2024.
In 2021, there were 729 reported cases of child sexual abuse, which increased to 1,034 in 2022. In 2023, the number declined to 844 cases. So far in 2024, there have been 324 cases reported. Ms. Kiran noted that rape remains the most common offense against children in Fiji.
Breaking down the 2024 statistics, she revealed that among the 324 cases reported so far, 215 involved children aged 13 to 17, 94 involved those aged 6 to 12, and 15 cases involved infants aged 0 to 5 years. The breakdown of offenses includes 104 cases of rape, 71 cases of indecent assault, and 60 cases of sexual assault, with female victims making up the majority at 297.
Despite a declining trend in the overall numbers, Ms. Kiran emphasized that the statistics alone do not capture the full extent of the issue. She urged all Fijians to confront the realities of child sexual abuse and domestic violence. Monthly reports from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions reveal ongoing failures to protect children, with the average age of the youngest victim in the past six years being just two years old. The youngest recorded victim was only six months old. According to UNICEF, five out of every six children in Fiji experience abuse or neglect within their families.
“We need to take these issues seriously,” she insisted.