39% rise in crimes against women, 9% increase for children in July - Police

The Fiji Police Force has recorded a 39 percent increase in crime against women and a 9 percent increase in crime against children in July, compared to the same period last year.

Acting Commissioner of Police Juki Fong Chew says of the 232 cases recorded for crime against women, 88 percent were assault-related and 12 percent were sexual offences.

He says of the 232 cases recorded against women, 31 percent were domestic-related where the perpetrator was a spouse or in a defacto relationship.

Chew says the offence that had also contributed to the increase in crime against women was assault causing actual bodily harm with 181 cases last month compared to 65 cases in the same period last year.

The Acting Commissioner further says crimes against children recorded 153 cases where 96 victims were girls and 57 were boys.

He says of the recorded cases, 53 percent were sexual offences, 35 percent were assault-related and 12 percent linked to other offences.

The increase in the crimes against children was mainly due to the rise in assault causing actual bodily harm from 25 in the July last year and 45 cases last month.