Reporting legislation of child sexual abuse in the Pacific – a review

Abstract

The global concern with Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) is afflicting the countries in the Pacific, with some countries being affected more than others. Pacific countries are trying to deal with the issue through various means, including the reporting legislation amongst the public, mandated professions, or both. This review analyses reporting laws in thirteen Pacific countries – Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. Differences were found for the following – the presence of reporting laws specific for children; whether the reporting system is mandatory, voluntary or both; type of professions who are mandated to report; penalties and protection incurred by reporters; the reporting decision and process; and how CSA is defined. The review also noted that reporting legislature in Pacific countries did not match specific needs and challenges of the island countries, and it failed to consider local social and cultural differences that affect reporting.