Italy reports record number of crimes against minors in 2025

Italy has reached a historic high in crimes against minors, with 7,272 victims recorded in 2025, representing a 43% increase compared to ten years ago. National data shows that domestic maltreatment has surpassed 3,000 victims annually for the first time.

In the Lombardy region, 1,273 minors were victims of crime, a 1.2% increase from 2024. Female victims accounted for 61.7% of the total in Lombardy, rising to 82.6% among sexual crime victims. Domestic maltreatment was the most frequent offense in the region, affecting 534 children.

Sardinia showed a slight divergence from the national trend, with 172 minor victims, marking a 2.8% decrease from the previous year. However, gender disparities remain significant in the region; 84.4% of the 64 sexual crime victims in Sardinia were female.

These findings were released by the Terre des Hommes Foundation through the ‘Indifesa’ dossier, utilizing data from the Central Criminal Police Directorate. The report was presented at the National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI) in anticipation of International Day of the Girl Child.