SUVA, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- A growing number of rape cases in Fiji has sparked serious concern, local television channel Fiji TV reported on Friday.
For the month of July alone, there were 45 separate cases of sexual offences in the Pacific island nation, said the report.
According to statistics, 284 rape and attempted rape cases were recorded for last year while the year 2014 recorded 246 cases.
"Rape is about a certain mindset where there is totally disrespect of women or where there is this person who rapes does it to humiliate and degrade and believe women are lesser than him so there needs to be something going on within the prison system which is re-educating their mind to rethink their attitude towards women," said Shamima Ali, coordinator of the Fiji Women Crisis Center.
According to the center, more people in Fiji are now reporting cases of rape, which is a positive sign.
Over the years, harsher penalties have been meted out in Fiji in a bid to curb rape cases, and the maximum penalty for rapists is life imprisonment in the island country, which does not have death penalty.
