Sixteen victims of formally indicted sex offences last month were minors, including a five-year-old boy.
Also among the cases recorded during the month was that of a 13-year-old girl being charged with the rape and sexual assault of a nine-year-old girl.
This statistic was part of data released by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) of formal indictments filed in the High Courts of Fiji by the Director of Public Prosecutions throughout November.
A total of 23 people were charged with a total of 60 counts of sexual offences, including 36 counts of rape, one of attempted rape, three of abduction with intent to commit rape, one of assault with intent to commit rape, three of indecent assault, two of defilement and 14 of sexual assault.
Two of the 23 accused persons were juveniles and 24 victims were identified. In 12 incidents, the victims and accused were related to one another. Four cases were withdrawn after Nolle Prosequi was filed because of false complaint, unreliable and insufficient evidence.
A 66-year-old man was charged with the rape and sexual assault of his seven-year-old grandniece and a 47-year-old man was charged with four counts of rape and five representative counts of sexual assault of his 16-year-old daughter.
In another incident, a 41-year-old man was charged with the rape of a five-year-old boy from his village.
The ODPP also stated a 45-year-old man was charged with the sexual assault of his 11-year-old niece.
Three incidents of marital rape were also recorded.
A 30-year-old man was also charged with abduction of a teenager, 14, and a 30-year-old resort worker was also charged with the rape of an 18-year-old tourist.
