[File Photo]

A three-year-old is the youngest rape survivor in the country.

This is based on the number of cases received by the Fiji Women’s Crisis Center between January and September this year.

According to FWCC, they recorded 209 child rapes in the nine months of this year.

These child rape survivors are between three and 17 years.

FWCC Coordinator Shamima Ali says they have recorded an increase in the number of cases being reported.

“We don’t believe it’s increasing neither here nor in the Pacific, but there is more awareness, more reporting of it, and other agencies, including government agencies, religious agencies, are all coming on board, and, of course, sporting facilities, so we provide counselling and so on.”

Ali adds that between 2016 and 2021, the centre saw 225 child rape survivors aged between two and 17 years old.