In 2023, Italy recorded 6,952 crimes against minors, averaging 19 incidents daily, according to a report by the central police department’s criminal analysis service.
This marks an increase of 95 cases compared to 2022, a 34% rise over the past decade, and a staggering 89% increase since 2006. These figures were revealed as part of the 2024 Dossier “The Condition of Children and Adolescent Girls in the World,” presented by the Foundation Terre des Hommes at the Lower House on Tuesday.
The report was published ahead of the International Day of the Girl Child on 11th October. It highlights that crimes within the family remain the most common, with 2,843 cases of domestic abuse reported in 2023—a 6% rise from 2022. The number of such cases has more than doubled since 2013.
The data also revealed that 61% of victims were girls, largely due to the high number of sexual violence cases. Of these, 89% of sexual violence victims and 85% of aggravated sexual violence victims were female. Other crimes that disproportionately affected girls included sexual acts with minors (79%), possession of pornographic material (78%), and child prostitution and pornography (64%).
In contrast, boys were the majority of victims in cases of murder (67%), abandonment of minors or disabled persons (61%), and abuse of discipline (59%).
The report underscores the continued vulnerability of children and adolescents, particularly girls, in Italy.
In September, the latest crime index report from Il Sole 24 Ore revealed a rise in crime levels across the country.
