Put your children first. This was the strong message to parents from the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma as alarming statistics of child sexual abuse and other social issues have caused a moral decay in society.
Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma communications general secretary the Rev Wilfred Regunamada highlighted the importance of parental supervision when quizzed about the church’s stance on parental negligence that led to children being sexually abused, and the cases of substance use.
He said the Methodist Church maintained that members must start from Jerusalem (home) first, which meant members must ensure their homes were in order before they come to church.
Additionally, he said as children were currently on school break and tended to be left alone, the Methodist Church urged parents and guardians to ensure their children were in a safe space.
He said while it was common in the iTaukei community to live in a communal setting, parents must be vigilant about who they allow to enter their homes.
“We live in a world where everyone watches pornography, even an old man sitting looking innocent, but has this lust to explore and sadly some end up with these young children,” he said.
He said while privacy was not paramount in many communities, parental supervision should be paramount.
“Every parent who decided to bring a child to this earth, look after them.
“Take time, invest, be aware, be vigilant. You cannot now, just leave a child alone and think ‘I know he or she is OK’.”
