"Everybody has the right to wear the type of clothes they are comfortable in and no one has the right to dictate on what one should wear".
These are the sentiments of the Fiji Police Force following the two cases up in the North where three girls aged 14 and 16 years were allegedly assaulted for wearing three quarter shorts and singlets.
Assistant Police Spokesperson, Inspector Atunaisa Sokomuri said people mainly in the villages should not be forced to wear something they do not feel comfortable in.
He said police have adopted a no drop policy on assaults and anyone found assaulting girls for wearing shorts and singlet’s will be taken to task.
Meanwhile, a village headman and a man have been charged with assault causing bodily harm after allegedly assaulting teenage girls for wearing singlets and three quarter pants.
The two separate incidents took place in Savusavu and a village about four kilometers outside Labasa town.
Assistant Spokesperson Inspector Atunaisa Sokomuri has confirmed that village headman allegedly assaulted a 16 year old girl in January for wearing a singlet and three quarter pants.
The girl was on her way to Labasa town with her mother when the village headman confronted her. He allegedly assaulted her with a stick as she lay on the ground.
The village headman appeared in the Labasa Magistrates court and his case is pending in court.
In another incident two girls aged 14 years were assaulted by their uncle for wearing pants. The alleged incident took place in Savusavu two weeks ago when the two were getting off a taxi. He allegedly assaulted them with a stick on the road in the village.
The two sustained serious injuries and were taken to the Labasa hospital for an x-ray.
His case is also pending in the Labasa Magistrates court.
