An 11% increase in assault offences against women was recorded by the Fiji Police Force last year.
Police have revealed that assault occasioning actual bodily harm, common assault, criminal intimidation, rape and attempted rape were recorded as the most common types of physical and sexual abuse cases against women in 2016.
It also confirms that 6 to 12-year-old females were mostly victims of assault causing actual bodily harm followed by rape, sexual assault and indecent assault.
The statistics further reveal that 13 to 17-year-old females were mostly victims of rape, defilement, abduction and assault causing actual bodily harm.
According to Police, 9% of these 13 to 17-year-old females were sexually exploited by their immediate family members.
Police say there was 1,013 domestic related cases reported last year but 13% were sexual in nature while 78% were physical in nature.
The statistics also reveal that 30% of sexual offenders last year were related to the female victims and 97% of these offenders were males.
There was a 6% decrease in overall crimes against women last year.
