The Interim Education Minister has raised serious concern over the high incidents of the abuse of children and the rampant sex trade with young children.
Filipe Bole said the Child Sexual Abuse Report of 2007 prepared by the Fiji Police notes that there were 186 cases with children between the ages of 14 to 16 and 154 cases with children less than 13 years.
Bole said some of the categories of the offences were rape, attempted rape, indecent assault or unnatural offences.
He said these are heinous acts and show total disregard for the dignity of the human person and the rule of law.
Bole also stressed that sex trade with minors is a crime and the reasons for trading will never be acceptable.
The Interim Education Minister said children have the fundamental right to a safe upbringing, good education and protection from harm.
He said if a child is not safe at home, school or in the school dormitory then parents, teachers and the community are denying the child the right they are entitled to.
Bole is seeking the cooperation of parents and the society as a whole to play an active role in combating these sex offences on our school children.
He stressed that parents should speak to their children about sexual abuse and sex related issues as sex, being a taboo subject and our culture of silence are some factors that fuel the growth of sex abuse and sex related offences.
