Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Sashi Kiran has described new statistics on serious sexual offences against children as “deeply disturbing and heartbreaking for our nation”.
In a statement responding to consolidated figures released by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) on formal indictments filed in the High Court between January and December 2025, Ms Kiran said the data revealed “a painful truth we cannot ignore”.
“They reveal that some of the gravest acts of sexual violence against children are happening within the very places that should be safest for them — their homes, their families, their villages and their close-knit communities,” she said.
Ms Kiran said the statistics showed children as young as four years old had been victims of rape, with alleged perpetrators including fathers, brothers, uncles and grandfathers.
“We are confronted with cases where a 12-year-old boy was charged with the rape of his six-year-old cousin, and where a 13-year-old was charged with the rape of a five-year-old girl from his own village,” she said.
“These are not just statistics. These are children whose innocence, safety and trust have been shattered.”
According to the ODPP data, as of December 31, 2025, there were 126 indictments filed in the High Court involving 252 counts of serious sexual offences.
A total of 141 individuals were charged, including 20 juveniles under the age of 18. Of the 135 victims, 79 were children, including both girls and boys, with offences ranging from rape and sexual assault to defilement, indecent assault and incest.
Ms Kiran said of particular concern were 63 offences that occurred within domestic relationships or where the accused was known to the victim.
“This shows a deeply rooted and uncomfortable reality — sexual violence against children in Fiji is often hidden behind the walls of family homes and shielded by silence in communities,” she said.
“One child abused is one too many.”
She stressed that child sexual abuse was not only a law enforcement issue but a shared responsibility.
“This is a community responsibility, a family responsibility and a moral responsibility,” Ms Kiran said.
She called on religious leaders, community leaders, teachers and traditional leaders to speak openly about child protection.
“Silence and stigma allow abuse to continue. We must create safe spaces in our churches, temples, mosques, schools and village meetings where these conversations are encouraged, not avoided,” she said.
Ms Kiran also urged parents, relatives and community members to listen carefully when children attempt to disclose abuse.
“Do not dismiss them. Do not shame them. Do not silence them. A child who speaks up is seeking protection, not trouble,” she said.
She said children must be taught that their bodies belong to them, that they have the right to say no, and that they will be believed and protected if they speak out.
Ms Kiran said the Ministry would continue strengthening child protection systems and working closely with teachers, medical officers, legal officers, Police, civil society organisations, faith-based groups and communities.
“Real change begins at home and within our communities,” she said.
“Let us be the generation that refuses to look away. Let us be the adults who choose to protect rather than remain silent. Let us build a Fiji where every child is safe, heard and protected.”
