Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation Minister Lynda Tabuya says how early exposure to the internet and pornography affects children will form the basis of a survey to determine its impact on young Fijian kids.
“Evidence-based research to validate current realities are an important part of finding solutions,” she said in response to queries from The Fiji Times.
“The ministry will (do this) in collaboration with existing and potential partners in the academia space such as the University of the South Pacific, Fiji National University and University of Fiji.
“Thus encouraging local and inclusive surveys that can determine the scope of issues and how best we can address them through policy and legislation.
“The ministry will also champion the need to be holistic in the methodology of conducting survey areas, so that it can (be) representative of the national terrains and the issues accordingly.”
According to rape and sexual offences statistics released by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for the period July to November last year, there were 29 juveniles reported for a range of sexual offences with the youngest being 14 years old.
In November, a 16-year-old boy was charged with the rape of a 15-year-old girl, and a 13-year-old girl was charged with the rape and sexual assault of a 9-year-old girl.
In October, two 16-year-old boys were charged with the rape of a 14-year-old girl, a 16-year-old boy was charged with defiling a 14-year-old girl, a 15-year-old boy was charged with the rape of his 13-year-old cousin, and a 12-year-old boy was charged with the sexual assault of a 4-year-old girl.
In September, two 16-year-old boys and two 17-year-old boys were charged with six counts of rape and one count of sexual assault of an 8-year-old boy.
In another incident, two 14-year-old boys and two 17-year-old boys were charged with two counts of rape and 12 counts of aiding and abetting the rape of a 13-year-old boy.
A 15-year-old boy was charged with four counts of rape of his 15-year-old niece and a 16-year-old boy was charged with the rape and indecent assault of his 7-year-old niece.
A 16-year-old boy was charged with the rape and sexual assault of his 11-year-old stepsister, and a 16-year-old was charged with the defilement of his 16-year-old girlfriend.
In August, a 16-year-old boy was charged with two counts of rape, one count of sexual assault and one count of indecently annoying his 9-year-old cousin, a 15-year-old boy was charged with one representative count of rape of his 5-year-old niece, and a 15-year-old boy was charged with one representative count of rape of an 8-year-old girl.
In another incident, a 14-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy were charged with two counts of rape of a 14-year-old girl, and a 14-year-old boy was charged with four counts of sexual assault of a 10-year-old girl.
In July, a 17-year-old boy was charged with two counts of rape of a 9-year-old boy, a 16-year-old boy was charged with the rape of an 8-year-old boy, and a 14-year-old boy was charged with the rape of a 9-year-old boy.
In another incident, a 14-year-old boy was charged with two counts of rape of a 9-year-old girl.
