The Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Lynda Tabuya, is shocked at the high rate of serious sexual offences that have been highlighted by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and has stated that these statistics are so frightening.
322 people were charged with 768 counts of serious sexual offences in 2022.
Tabuya says what is even more frightening is that the youngest accused person was a 12-year-old boy, while the youngest victim was a 3-year-old girl.
She says this is very alarming and calls for more urgent action from everyone, including the Government, Non-Government Organizations and everyone to address this issue.
The Minister also says that any form of violence against women and girls is a human rights violation.
She adds this must be combated vigorously, and her Ministry will continue to advocate for equal opportunities and empowerment of women and girls.
Tabuya says they will work with all stakeholders to continue creating awareness and provide gender sensitization training to tackle the increase in violence against women and girls.
She says Government is creating an enabling environment for women and girls to reach their full potential, however, they must first feel safe in their own homes and communities.
She pleads with all Fijian men and boys to help them to stop this heinous crime because women view them as their protectors.
The Minister is also calling on parents to monitor children's activities while using phones to ensure children are not accessing adult sites.
Tabuya says pornography is considered to be a contributing factor to the increase in sexual offences committed by young Fijian.
She adds the life of every woman and girl matters, and they have the right to live their life free of violence and abuse.
The Minister is encouraging women and girls to report any form of abuse, and they can also report through the Child Helpline 1325 or National Domestic Violence Helpline 1560.
