Today we join the chorus of public condemnation of the vicious sexual assault of an innocent nine-year-old girl in Nakasi. Two men who were allegedly involved in this heinous crime are still on the run as Police hunt for them.

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama called it shocking and expressed his sympathy for her, her parents and family. He can relate to this incident because he has grandchildren of the same age.

Mahendra Reddy, Minister for Education, Heritage and Arts, said “we need to solve this monster issue.” Shamima Ali, the co-ordinator for Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre said it was unacceptable and a huge shame on our country.

Minister for Health and Medical Service Jone Usamate highlighted in Parliment the Fiji Sun report which broke the story on the sex attack. It dominated Radio talkback shows and social media, all condemning the crime.

The attack is the worst nightmare of any parent. The public outcry resonates with all families particularly those with young children.

Safety and security of our children are foremost in the minds of parents, especially those who are not at home but at work during the day.

For those who do not drive their children to school, they trust that their children will be safe as they walk and travel by bus to school.

What they worry about are not only accidents but sexual predators like those responsible for inflicting the most horrific injuries on the girl.

She is in critical condition at the intensive care unit (ICU) at the CWM Hospital. She is carrying with her not only physical damage but emotional scars that are traumatic to say the least.

If and when she recovers it will take her time to return to normality.

Her parents must be going through hell as they sit beside her bed, praying that she will recover rapidly and hoping that this is a bad dream.

Our thoughts, prayers and sympathies are with them and their family at this time. We can only imagine what they are going through.

The family lives in a quite peaceful neighbourhood where everybody knows each other. But that peace and tranquility were shattered on Thursday afternoon when she was grabbed from the road, while on her way home, dragged several metres into bushes, and violently raped, allegedly by two men.

Residents can hardly remember any crime in the area until Thursday. They live on big lifestyle blocks in a semi-rural setting so the properties are not as close like the ones in other residential areas. Their belief that they live in a safe place has been destroyed.

The crime was committed in broad daylight. At night, the dusty gravel road that runs through the neighbourhood is dark. It has no street lights despite years of trying to get them installed by the residents. Do we have to wait for something tragic like this to happen before street lights are put there?

School children from the area now feel insecure. It is advisable that children should not be allowed to walk to school and back home alone. They should be accompanied by adults.

We hope that those responsible for attacking the girl will be caught soon and swiftly brought to justice.

 Feedback: nemani.delaibatiki@fijisun.com.fj