Domestic violence and crimes against children remain a concern even though reports of such crimes have decreased recently.
A monthly report from the Fiji Police Force states that: “While crimes against children did not register an increase or decrease with 110 cases recorded in March 2023 and 2024, the Acting Commissioner says the figure is still of great concern as one case is one too many.”
“Of the 110 child victims, 68 were girls and 42 boys who faced the harrowing ordeal of being victims of sexual and assault-related offences. 16% of the crimes committed against children were committed in domestic settings where the offender is related or known to the victim. Crimes against children recorded increases in the Southern Division while the West, East and Northern Divisions recorded decreases while the Central recorded nil change.”
“Domestic violence cases against women and children recorded a 9% increase where 79% were women victims and 21% were children.”
There were 28 cases involving methamphetamine and are currently being tried.
“Approximately 18% or 28 cases were associated with Methamphetamine, two cases related to cocaine while the remaining 130 cases were related to the unlawful possession or cultivation of Marijuana.”
The Acting Commissioner said as children under 18 years have also been found with drugs, as reflected in statistics for the period of January to March 2024, police are aggressively pursuing proactive measures of raising awareness in schools, through the media and communities noting the worrying trend.
“Overall the prevalent offences during March were theft, assault causing actual bodily harm, burglary, unlawful possession of illicit drugs and criminal intimidation.”
