In June, crime against women and children in Fiji decreased, however, the majority of reported cases occurred within domestic settings, prompting calls by Fiji Police.
Of the 94 cases reported that month, 76% involved male family members, Fiji Police say.
Among the 94 child victims, 68 were girls and 26 were boys. Of particular concern are 24 incidents involving multiple counts of sexual-related crimes such as rape, indecent assault, and sexual assault. All these cases involved victims under the age of 18.
Among the 177 women victims, the most affected age group was 18 to 38 years, with 43 cases related to domestic incidents. Moreover, 74% of the offenses were assault-related, with assault causing actual bodily harm being the most common form of abuse suffered by the victims.
Meanwhile, the overall crime rate for the month of June dropped by 11%.
“The Fiji Police Force is at the receiving end of these reports, which is why we are prioritising community policing efforts and continuously reaching out to stakeholders through the vanua, religion and civil society groups to assist us in addressing these heinous crimes which are occurring within domestic settings,” Fiji Police said in a statement.
