[Photo: FILE]

Despite a significant drop in overall crime rates in Fiji, Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu says crimes against children remain deeply alarming, particularly offences committed within the home.

While releasing the third quarter crime statistics for February, March and April, Tudravu revealed that overall crime dropped by 19 percent, with serious crimes decreasing by 14 percent.

He also highlighted an 11 percent reduction in crimes against women.

However, Tudravu says crimes against children increased by 1 percent during the reporting period, with 311 cases recorded.

He says 46 percent of the cases involved sexual offences, while 41 percent were assault-related, with the remaining cases involving other offences.

The Police Commissioner says one of the most disturbing findings is that 28 percent of the reported offences against children were committed in domestic settings by family members or relatives.

“The fact that our children cannot feel safe in their own homes is extremely worrying and warrants a more aggressive approach in addressing the root causes of such crimes.”

He also revealed a 45 percent increase in illicit drug cases, saying the rise reflects intensified joint operations and enforcement efforts targeting drugs.

Tudravu says road fatalities dropped by 31 percent during the quarter, although the police had aimed for a 50 percent reduction.

He further confirmed that complaints lodged against Police officers fell by 35 percent.

According to Tudravu, the decline in most crime categories is the result of stronger community engagement and improved coordination between agencies. The police plan to continue strengthening in the coming months.

Meanwhile, Shamima Ali says violence against women and children continues to place enormous pressure on frontline support services.

Ali says the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre assists around 3,000 women, girls, and children every year, with the number of cases continuing to rise annually.

She says by the end of October last year alone, the Centre had already dealt with about 2,000 cases.

According to Ali, around 60 percent of the cases involve intimate partner violence and domestic violence, followed by child rape, rape, attempted rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment.

Ali also raised concerns about the treatment of victims seeking assistance, saying the Centre continues to encounter situations where some service providers fail to respond appropriately to women and children reporting violence.