Fiji, set in the tropical South Pacific is the essence of a tropical paradise. White sandy beaches, deep blue oceans, and miles of swaying coconut trees all appeal to the weary traveler seeking rest and respite on a warm island paradise. The Fiji experience can include a sunset stroll on their pristine beaches, snorkeling, surfing, trekking in the rainforests or visiting villages and immersing oneself in their rich culture and history. But there is a dark side to Fiji, one you won’t find in the travel guides or tourist magazines.

Fiji is not just a destination for tourists, it is also a destination for children and women trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor. According to the U.S. State Department Trafficking in Persons Report there are many factors that contribute to trafficking and forced labor on the islands and as a result Fiji has become a destination country for women trafficked from Thailand, India and the People’s Republic of China and sold into the commercial sex trade. Staff at local hotels, taxi drivers and nightclub owners collaborate together to facilitate the procurement of underage girls for tourists and Fijian citizens.

Poverty, unemployment and tradition all contribute to the prevalence of human trafficking in Fiji, making the sale of women and children acceptable in their culture. According to Dr. Mili Kaitani a lecturer at the University of the South Pacific while conducting a survey for the International Labour Organization she found that “79 percent of child sex workers lived with their families and in some cases the mother or aunt would look for their clients.”

The commercial sex industry is a lucrative business, demand is high and negative social attitudes toward women and children continue to be a driving force in the growth of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation in Fiji. Until attitudes change and stronger deterrents are put in place for traffickers the pimps, madams and middlemen will continue to run thriving businesses buying and selling women and children for the commercial sex-trade and forced labor industry.

While the Fijian government has made some strides to eliminate trafficking there is still a long road ahead and steps still to be taken. To-date there have been no investigations or convictions of trafficking offenders in Fiji, nor is there a long term anti-trafficking plan of action that implements a formal procedure to proactively identify victims, and prosecute traffickers. The development of a national awareness campaign directed at tourists, travel industry personnel and residents on the crime of commercial sexual exploitation, child sex tourism and forced labor along with proactive prosecutions for traffickers are steps Fiji could take to improve its efforts against trafficking.