Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) is rife in Fiji, with 16% of Fijian women having experienced CSA before the age of fifteen. However, reporting CSA continues to be a problem due to factors that include but are not limited to social stereotypes and the lack of physical evidence.

In 2010, Fiji enacted the Child Welfare Act (CWA2010), mandating certain professions to report suspected CSA cases. This resulted in an increase in reported cases. However, little is known about the socio-cultural and religious context that influences mandatory reporting. 

This mixed-method study explores this challenge. It investigates systemic, cultural, and religious elements affecting CSA mandatory reporting in Fiji. It draws on a theoretical framework that weaves Ecological and Critical Discourse theories. Data for the study was collected from an online questionnaire among 130 randomly selected primary school teachers and interviews with 21 key-informants from stakeholder organisations and institutions.

Study findings show that the bureaucratic System significantly dominated CSA mandatory reporting. It also showed that Culture and Religion were often ignored or avoided in the process. While there were several reporting enablers since the inception of CWA2010, the System also experienced some major obstacles Culture was seen as a detriment to CSA reporting, despite the presence of several cultural facilitators. Most cultural barriers were a result of misconceptions and confusion between the predominantly collectivist culture of Fiji and an individualist focus embedded in the System. Religion was found to be more supportive to CSA mandatory reporting, however, it also had several barriers. Most of these barriers were related to Culture; reflecting how Religion and Culture are intertwined in Fijian society.   

This study concludes by emphasising the need to use Culture and Religion to strengthen the System. Several research, policy, and practice recommendations are suggested to help contextualise the Mandatory Reporting System in Fiji. The safety and protection of Fijian children is at the heart of these recommendations.