Young males in the Cook Islands are twice as likely to be sexually abused as those in New Zealand.
That's according to a study conducted by the University of the South Pacific's campus director on Rarotonga, Debi Futter footer Puati.
The recently published results from 2017 follow on from youth behavioural studies in 2007 and 2011 which indicated high levels of sexual abuse.
Dr Futter Puati says she tailored questions in her research to find out what was happening with young people so the material could contribute to the design of a sexuality education programme.
She spoke with Dominic Godfrey about her study which included over 20 percent of the country's young people.
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