Minister for Women and Children, Lynda Tabuya, has expressed concern about the high number of sexual offenses committed against children.

Statistics from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for the first seven months of this year show that out of the 157 victims of sexual crimes, 96 are children.

During this period, there were a total of 153 perpetrators, and in 88 incidents, the victims and the accused were found to be related to each other.

Tabuya warns that some children are not safe in their own homes due to the high incidence of serious sexual offenses being committed.

She has expressed concern about the alarming statistics of sexual offenses against children, with a significant portion of these crimes being committed by family members.

Tabuya has highlighted the issue of parents and guardians failing to take responsibility for the well-being of their children.

“We acknowledge the alarming statistics of the increase in offenses against children, especially rape and abuse, where 90 percent of the perpetrators are family members. So what has actually happened is that our children are no longer safe in their homes. So this is not just a challenge for the Ministry, this is a challenge for us as a nation, a challenge for us as a family. Why are we not protecting our children or keeping them safe in our own homes?”

Tabuya has urged traditional and religious leaders to increase their efforts, as government policies alone cannot effectively address the serious harm inflicted upon children.

“What are our traditional leaders doing, the Vanua? What are our faith-based religious leaders doing? You know, our teachers in Sunday schools, our preachers, our pastors. Are you even addressing this from the pulpit? Are you addressing this when you meet with our families during the week? We have to work together.”

Tabuya says evidence shows that there is a link between pornography and the increasing rate of sexual violence.

She stated that her Ministry is actively involved in discussions to ban access to pornography for children and regulate its use for adults.