Porn Sites Ban Talks

The Anti-Pornography Taskforce, established by the Cabinet in February, will convene early next month to deliberate on potentially barring access to pornography sites nationwide.

This is in response to alarming statistics released by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), which highlighted a troubling rise in sexual assaults involving minors.

Co-chairperson of the taskforce and Minister for Women, Children, and Social Protection, Lynda Tabuya, expressed grave concern over the prevalence of sexual offences, particularly those involving minors allegedly assaulted by their own family members.

Ms Tabuya pointed out the urgent need to address the issue considering increased internet accessibility through technologies.

“With the internet reaching even the most remote areas, it’s imperative that we ensure it is used responsibly to protect Fiji’s children from its harmful impacts,” she said.

Recent ODPP statistics reveal that out of 16 individuals charged last month with 63 counts of sexual offences, 12 were minors.

The disturbing data includes cases where victims were related to their perpetrators, such as a 15-year-old charged with raping a 12-year-old cousin and a 65-year-old man charged with sexually assaulting his six-year-old granddaughter.

Ms Tabuya also noted that 90 per cent of sexual abuse perpetrators were family members, highlighting the necessity for governmental intervention to tackle these issues.

She criticised the easy access to pornography and its contribution to family dysfunction and abuse.

“It’s the government’s responsibility to develop laws and policies to combat this issue and protect our children,” the minister asserted.

The forthcoming taskforce will comprise various government ministries, the Cybercrime Unit, the Fiji Police Force, the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Online Safety Commission, and experts in human sexuality and mental health.

Opposition members and community leaders will also participate in the effort.

Corporal Unaisi Mateiwai from the Fiji Police Force Sexual Offense and Child Abuse Unit had revealed that some cases of sexual assault among children were linked to unsupervised access to explicit content on mobile phones.

“One case involved a five-year-old boy who sexually assaulted a three-year-old sibling after being given access to explicit videos on a grandmother’s phone,” Ms Mateiwai reportedly said.

This crisis highlights the need for greater parental vigilance and responsible internet use.

The taskforce’s work aims to address these critical issues and develop effective strategies to safeguard Fiji’s children.

Feedback: inoke.rabonu@fijisun.com.fj