3600 material on child sexual abuse

In 2023 alone, more than 3,600 reports of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) were reported from Fiji.

Minister of Communications and Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica announced this in parliament yesterday while giving an update on the National Task Force to tackle pornography.

He said these CSAMs were reported to the United States National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).

“The U.S. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s Cyber ​​Tipline serves as the U.S. national clearinghouse for leads on child sexual exploitation crimes, as U.S. registered electronic service providers are required by law to report suspected CSAM, grooming and provide explicit images, videos or text messages sent to children on their platforms,” Mr Kamikamica said.

“These reports are then referred to law enforcement for investigation and prosecution. More than 99 percent of Cyber ​​Tips are received from electronic service providers such as Meta, Google and TikTok and a small number are also received from the public.

“In 2023 alone, NCMEC received 3,638 suspected CSEM reports from Fiji.”

“The establishment of this National Taskforce is not just a symbolic gesture, but a powerful demonstration of the Coalition Government’s commitment to action.

“It is a tangible step toward protecting our communities and protecting our most vulnerable citizens.

“That is why the Task Force has agreed that the Task Force’s first work stream should be to combat ‘child pornography’, now referred to as ‘online sexual exploitation and abuse of children’ or OCSEA.”

Mr Kamikamica also called on parents and guardians to be more vigilant.

“I also urge parents, guardians and communities to be vigilant about the images and videos of our children that we share online. It is crucial to avoid uploading photos or videos of our children if they are not dressed appropriately.

“Once these images or videos are online, they can be exploited by perpetrators in unimaginable and damaging ways.

“Let’s work together to protect our children, both in the physical and digital worlds.”