FIJI
Fiji Times
Aqela Susu
Monday, July 04, 2016
RELIGIOUS institutions and the congregation should not cover up for pastors, ministers or priests involved in alleged sexual offences, says Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre co-ordinator Shamima Ali.
Ms Ali made the comment following the release of sexual offences statistics by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for the month of June.
The report highlighted that there were 47 separate incidents of sexual offences, 36 of which were rape offences. Out of this, 22 people were charged. A church pastor was charged with a serious sexual offence allegedly committed on a 16-year-old.
Ms Ali said such acts by church pastors were a betrayal to the victims and society as a whole because they were in a position of great trust.
“There needs to be a zero tolerance policy and processes as to how to deal with this,” Ms Ali said.
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