Italy: Istat report finds 3 million women experienced violence before age 16

Istat report gender-based violence childhood abuse sexual violence intergenerational violence

A new report by Istat reveals that approximately 3 million Italian women aged 16 to 75 reported experiencing physical or sexual violence before the age of 16. This figure represents 15.3% of the Italian female population and 11.4% of foreign residents. Specifically, 8.2% of Italian women reported sexual abuse during childhood.

The data highlights a significant link between childhood trauma and adult victimization, noting that women who experienced sexual violence before age 16 have a 57% likelihood of experiencing violence as adults. The report also emphasizes that most perpetrators are known to the victims, including family members; for instance, fathers or stepfathers were identified as perpetrators in 27.3% of physical violence cases.

A critical issue identified is the prevalence of silence, with over 58% of victims of childhood sexual violence reporting that they did not disclose the abuse to anyone. While sexual violence reported before age 16 has seen a decrease from 10.6% in 2014 to 7.8% in 2025, the scale of the issue remains substantial.

Entities

CNDDU · Department for Equal Opportunities · Giuseppe Valditara · Istat · Italy

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 4 SOURCES] Over 58% of victims of childhood sexual violence did not report the abuse to anyone. ladiscussione.com · www.versiliatoday.it · www.wereporter.it · canaledieci.it
[● 4 SOURCES] Most perpetrators of childhood violence are known to the victim, including family members and parents. www.radiostudio90italia.it · www.versiliatoday.it · www.wereporter.it · canaledieci.it
[● 10 SOURCES] About 8.2% of Italian women reported experiencing sexual violence before age 16. laltravoce.com · www.radiostudio90italia.it · catania.liveuniversity.it · www.corrierenazionale.it · ladiscussione.com · +5 more
[● 2 SOURCES] Among Italian women reporting physical violence before age 16, fathers or stepfathers were identified as perpetrators in 27.3% of cases. www.radiostudio90italia.it · canaledieci.it
[● 2 SOURCES] Women who experienced sexual violence before age 16 face a 57% risk of experiencing violence as adults. laltravoce.com · www.wereporter.it
[● 7 SOURCES] The percentage of women reporting sexual violence before age 16 decreased from 10.6% in 2014 to 7.8% in 2025. www.radiostudio90italia.it · catania.liveuniversity.it · www.corrierenazionale.it · ladiscussione.com · www.agenpress.it · +2 more
[● 10 SOURCES] Approximately 15.3% of Italian women aged 16 to 75 reported experiencing physical or sexual violence before age 16. laltravoce.com · www.radiostudio90italia.it · catania.liveuniversity.it · www.corrierenazionale.it · ladiscussione.com · +5 more
[● 5 SOURCES] The percentage of foreign women in Italy reporting violence before age 16 is 11.4%. laltravoce.com · www.radiostudio90italia.it · catania.liveuniversity.it · ladiscussione.com · canaledieci.it