Data shows that 3 out of 5 rape cases reported in Fiji are against children

Data from the Office of the Director of the Public Prosecution shows three out of five rape cases reported are against children, and 23 births out of 1,000 females are below the age of 18 years of age.

This was highlighted by the Assistant Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Sashi Kiran while delivering her end-of-the-week ministerial statement in parliament.

Kiran says data also indicated that the average age of the youngest victims of child sexual abuse in the past six years is six months old and the average age of the youngest accused person is 12 years old.

She says each month, the Office of the DPP releases shocking data that exposes the fact that we are failing our children daily and it is time for everyone to stand together and confront the serious issue of child abuse and child sexual abuse.

Kiran says UNICEF data reveals that five out of every six children in Fiji suffer abuse or neglect by their family.

She says specific data obtained from the Fiji Police Force on Child Sexual Abuse shows that in 2021, there were 729 cases recorded, followed by an increase in 2022 with 1,034 cases, and then a decline in 2023 with 844 cases.

Kiran says the first six months of 2024 have so far recorded 324 cases.

The Assistant Minister says the monthly average of recording child sexual abuse cases is 54, with rape being the most prevalent offence targeting children in Fiji.

She says of the 324 child sexual abuse cases that were reported during the first 6 months of this year, the 13 to 17 years age group had the highest number of reported cases with 215, followed by the 6 to 12 years age group with 94 cases, and the infant, which is 0 to 5 years age group, recorded 15 cases.

She adds rape was the most prevalent reported offence with 104 cases, followed by indecent assault with 71 cases, and sexual assault with 60 cases.

Kiran says females are the overwhelming victims of child sexual abuse, accounting for 297 cases or 91.7 percent of the reported cases while males accounted for the remaining 27 or 8.3 percent of the cases.

Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Lynda Tabuya says we have heard the prevalence of the abuse of children in our nation and what it means for the future of this country, but yet, we still keep doing the same thing day after day.

Tabuya says we can stop this now by drawing a line in the sand and also by recognising that protecting children is everybody's business.

She says every one of these children carries a story of lasting hurt and trauma that will impact their adult lives and if we do not act urgently, we risk a deeply traumatised generation where cycles of abuse will continue on to their children and their children's children.