Crimes against minors in Italy rise by 34% over last decade

Reported crimes against minors in Italy have surged, with nearly 7,000 cases recorded last year, marking a rise of over a third compared to a decade ago, according to a report released Tuesday, said Xinhua.

The data, compiled by the Terre des Hommes Italia Foundation, a humanitarian organization, is based on official law enforcement records. The foundation's report, titled "Defenseless 2024: Data on Crimes Against Minors in Italy," recorded 6,952 crimes against minors in 2023, up from 6,857 the previous year. This figure represents a 34 percent increase from 2013 and an 89 percent surge compared to 2006, when the foundation first began tracking such data.

Of the crimes reported in 2023, 61 percent targeted females, with the majority being sexual offenses. However, the report noted a 24 percent decline in child prostitution cases between 2022 and 2023, and a 65 percent drop over the last decade. Other offenses, including corruption of minors, violations of family care obligations, and child pornography, also saw declines.

Eugenia Sepe, deputy chief of the state police, stated that the rise in reported cases could be partially attributed to increased awareness and reporting due to educational campaigns focused on crimes against minors.

The report was presented to the Italian House of Deputies, the lower house of Italy's parliament, on Tuesday.