Source Of Shame, Says Kiran

Assistant Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Sashi Kiran said the sexual abuse data on children should be a source of shame to Fiji as a nation.

She made the remarks while delivering her end of week statement in Parliament on Friday.

Ms Kiran shared the latest data obtained from the Fiji Police Force on child sexual abuse re-ported from 2021 to 2023, including January to June 2024.

The year 2021 recorded 729 cases, an increase in 2022 with 1034 cases and a decline in 2023 with 844 cases, Ms Kiran said.

The first six months so far has recorded 324 cases, she said.

She added that rape was the most prevalent offence targeting children in Fiji.

A breakdown of this year’s data, of the 324 cases:

• 13-17 years - 215 the highest number of reported cases;
• 6-12 years – 94 cases;
• 0-5 year’s infants – 15 cases.

“Rape was the most prevalent reported offence 104 cases, 71 cases indecent assault and 60 cases sexual assault.

Females were the overwhelming victims of child sexual abuse accounting for 297 victims.

Even though there is a declining trend, the raw statistics do not tell the whole story. These figures should be a source of shame and soul searching for us as a nation.

She made an impassioned plea to all Fijians to confront the issue of child sexual and domestic abuse.

Each month the ODPP release the shocking data that exposes the fact that we are failing our children on a daily basis.

Data that indicates that the average age of youngest victim of child sexual abuse in the past six years is two-years old.

The youngest victim was six months old. UNICEF data reveals that 5 out of every six children in Fiji suffer abuse or neglect by their family.

We need to take these things seriously, she said.

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