The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions recorded 18 sexual offence charges in March 2026 alone.
In a ministerial statement to Parliament, Minister for Women Sashi Kiran revealed the scale of abuse, highlighting Fiji’s escalating crisis of violence against women and girls.
“Sixty four per cent of women in intimate relationships in Fiji have experienced physical or sexual violence, while up to 72 per cent of women aged 18 to 64 have experienced physical, emotional or sexual violence in their lifetime,” she stated.
She highlighted the urgency of issues raised during the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, where access to justice for women and girls was a central theme.
Statistics show that between 2020 and 2024, 4159 child sexual offence cases were recorded nationwide, with 70 per cent involving girls.
Ms Kiran added that violence against elderly women is also increasing, with 122 reported cases in 2024 among women aged 60 and above.
She cautioned that higher reporting rates do not necessarily reflect improved outcomes.
“Reporting alone does not equate to justice.”
She said barriers such as geographic isolation, stigma and economic dependency added to the issues.
“Rights have little meaning without the ability to claim and realise them.”
She said reforms including the Law and Justice Sector Reform Roadmap 2025–2029 aim to strengthen access, efficiency and accountability, but the scale of violence remains a pressing national concern.
