The Fiji

Child sexual abuse not new

Women’s Crisis Centre has been offering counselling to bat

tered and abused women since it opened over 10 years ago.

But with the increase in the reporting of child abuse cases, it has extended its services to include children.

Centre coordinator Shamima AH said one of the things which should be remem bered was that child abuse was not a new thing, whatever name was given to it, it was child sexual abuse.

“What must also be made clear is that it is just not expatriates who are doing it but locals as well.”

Ali said as a non-governmental organ isation, they could not do much with the legal side of it except lobby vigorously for changes to the legislation.

“ We are calling for changes where it’s taken with all seriousness.

“That is how it should be done and our stand now is that we will continue with our work.”

Ali said it was very important for abused children to receive counselling because they had to talk to someone.

But with the current group of children who have allgedly been used in the alleged paedophile ring, Ali said they had not talked to any of them.

“As always we will wait until people come to us because we believe that as far as counselling goes, only when people are willing to undergo counselling then they will approach us or if there are referrals from the social welfare depart ment.

“We haven’t heard anything from any victim or concerned authority so I guess what is happening is that people are now looking more at legislation, which we will support.”

"Leaving aside legislation, I believe we need a societal change of attitude regarding child sexual abuse as well. We will have to admit that it is a problem and measures earlier to prevent this kind of

thing happening.

“But because it didn’t happen earlier it has become worse. Our government agen cies are so lax in recognising the urgency.

“And when cases are reported, the amount of time that it takes before people will actually take some action against the perpetrator or the child is interviewed, leaves a lot to be desired. We need to look at all this.

“We as a community need to start sup porting children and families where this is happening instead of supporting the perpetrator.

“We have had cases where people supported the perpetrator and either ignored or blamed the child or the fami ly-”

She said the experience of Asian coun tries where paedophilia was rife because of the poverty situation showed it could happen in Fiji and other South Pacific Island countries.

"This is the most suitable environment for people who have money to come in and offer money to families so they can survive.

“We need to address the issue of poverty and what is happening because of this and this is where the state can take action to look at ways of preventing if not

solving it.

“Fiji is a small country with a very small population and I believe that if we all work together, we can arrest this prob lem.” ■

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