Kreetika Kumar 
Around 64 percent of women face some form of violence in their lifetime. However, Minister for Women and Children Lynda Tabuya says the statistics for children are far worse.
While delivering her ministerial statement in parliament this morning, she highlighted that 83 percent of our children are facing some form of abuse or violence.
Tabuya says the Child Welfare Act database reported in 2022 a total of almost 2000 cases, which is a 29 percent increase compared to 2021.
“According to the statistics for 2022, 54 percent of child victims were girls, and 68 percent were child neglect, physical abuse, and sexual abuse. 58 percent of the child victims were below the age of 12. Around 3 percent of the child victims were below the age of one. 79.7 percent of the perpetrators are known to the victim. 80 percent. And of that, 80 to 60 percent are immediate family members.”
Tabuya says a total of almost 1000 cases have been reported between the months of January and July this year, compared to a total of 1200 cases reported for the same period last year.
She adds that cases are still being reported, four percent of the victims are under the age of one, and 75 percent of the perpetrators are known to the victims.
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