Divisional Police Commander West Senior Superintendent of Police Marika Yalimaiwai said the worrying trend was the age of the victims of sexual offences were getting lower while the perpetrators’ ages were getting higher.

Speaking to the Telecom Fiji Limited Sugar Festival contestants yesterday, during morning tea hosted at by the Lautoka Police, SSP Yalimaiwai made a special plea for them to become strong advocates against this crime.

He said the other disturbing fact was the offences were now being committed in homes and communities where the perpetrators were related to the victims.

“Those days where the women were dragged from nightclubs or being pulled into the bushes and raped were almost over now.”

“We still have that but the worrying trend is the ages and the environment where these offences are committed,” he said.

“Now most of these sexual offences are in homes shared by the victims and perpetrators.”

He said he told 2500 women during the recent Catholic Women’s League Annual Convention that sexual offences were now becoming “sickening,”

He told the contestants the time had now come where a spade should be called a spade.

“People from all corners of Fiji must stand up now against this crime because it is worrying in the sense that family members are more involved in committing this crime than someone who is not related,” he said.

“It is worrying.”

SSP Yalimaiwai said he was once called to the Lautoka Hospital following two rape cases, including a a two year old girl who was carried two kilometres and raped and “it made my heart bleed.”

“I vowed that I will use all my influence with the help of my fellow police officers to stop this crime and say no more to sexual offences.”

Edited by: Rusiate Mataika

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