From Istat’s third survey on the safety of women, it emerges that 15.3% of Italian women between 16 and 75 have suffered at least one physical or sexual violence before the age of 16: approximately 3 million victims. The most widespread form of sexual violence is unwanted contact in the private parts, while physical violence results not only in pushing, pulling and slapping but also in more serious forms. In most cases the perpetrator was a known person, including family members.
Also for this reason, more than 58% of women who have suffered sexual violence before the age of 16 declare that they have not spoken about it to anyone, indicating that the phenomenon is still largely hidden. The results of the study also highlight that suffering or even just witnessing acts of violence in the family during childhood is associated with a greater risk of being a victim of violence even later in adulthood.
The Istat survey on violence against women during childhood
The report Violence against women from childhood to adulthood – Year 2025, analyzes the experiences of violence suffered before the age of 16 by women today between the ages of 16 and 75 and also studies its association with the experiences lived in adulthood. The survey was conducted between March 2025 and January 2026 and is harmonized with the European survey on gender violence coordinated by Eurostat Childhood violence and its lifelong impact published in 2026.
To estimate the extent of the phenomenon, it is not sufficient to consider complaints and judicial proceedings but ad hoc investigations are also necessary, which directly collect women’s experiences. In particular, to reconstruct the experiences of violence lived before the age of 16, in this Istat survey the interviewees were asked two questions on physical violence, four questions on sexual violence, a question on the humiliations and devaluations suffered in the family of origin and other questions on any forms of violence that women witnessed as children.
15.3% of Italian women have suffered physical or sexual violence before the age of 16
The results of the Istat survey tell us that in Italy 14.9% of women between 16 and 75 years old declared having suffered at least one physical or sexual violence before the age of 16. Among Italian citizens alone, the percentage rises to 15.3%, equal to approximately 3 million women. Among foreign citizens, however, it is 11.4%, or over 244 thousand women: the share reaches 22% among refugees, while it is 15% among Romanian citizens and 12% among Filipinos. However, Istat invites us to interpret these differences with caution, because the willingness to recognize and report experiences of violence can vary between groups and contexts.
Data on sexual violence
Overall, 8.2% of Italian women declare having suffered at least one form of sexual violence before the age of 16. Among foreigners the share is 3.4%. The most frequently reported form is unwanted contact in the private parts which concerns approximately 7% of Italians and 3% of foreigners.
Other forms of sexual violence that have emerged include being forced to touch another person’s private parts, being forced to have sexual intercourse or to pose naked. In most situations, the first incident of sexual violence occurred between the ages of 11 and 16. However, among Italians who have suffered sexual violence as minors, 8% date the first episode before the age of 6. The perpetrator is often a known person: among Italians, 13.5% report violence committed by at least one known person, compared to 2.1% by a stranger. Sexual violence committed by family members is less frequent, but when it occurs it tends to be repeated more often.
Data on physical violence
However, 9.2% of Italian women declare having suffered at least one physical act of force against their will before the age of 16. Among foreigners the percentage is 9.6%. The most widespread forms of physical violence are pushing, pulling and slapping, reported by 8% of Italians and 9% of foreign women. The more serious forms, such as being hit or beaten, kicked, hit with objects, burned or injured with a weapon, concern 3% of women. In this case the role of parents is particularly relevant. Among the Italians who have suffered the most serious physical forms, the father is indicated as the perpetrator in approximately 40% of cases and the mother in 28%.
Data on psychological violence
The Istat survey also revealed some forms of psychological violence within the family of origin, in particular humiliation and devaluation by parents. 4% of Italian women declare that they have always or often suffered them before the age of 16. Considering also the episodes that occurred sometimes, the percentage reaches 13%. Among Italians who report humiliation or devaluation, 38% also declare that they have subsequently suffered physical and/or sexual violence from their parents, compared to 2% of those who do not report this type of experience. However, it is important not to interpret this data as proof of causality. The survey highlights a statistical association between different experiences of violence but does not demonstrate that one form necessarily causes the other.
The case of witnessed violence
Istat also considers so-called witnessed violence, i.e. cases in which the victim witnesses violence, humiliation or denigration during childhood that occurs within the family of origin. Overall, 10% of women say they witnessed verbal or physical violence between parents or humiliation and denigration directed at siblings during childhood. Also in this case, the data shows a strong association with the experiences of violence suffered. Among Italian women who have not witnessed physical violence between their parents, 3% declare having suffered physical or sexual violence from their parents before the age of 16. The percentage rises to 35% among those who witnessed this type of violence. A similar association emerges for witnessed violence against siblings: among Italian women, the rate goes from 2% of those who have not witnessed it to 28% of those who report having seen it.
Furthermore, among Italian women who have not suffered physical or sexual violence before the age of 16, 32% declare having suffered at least one after the age of 16. Among those who suffered physical or sexual violence during childhood, the share rises to 57%: almost double. For foreign women the values are 27% and 57% respectively. This data must also be interpreted as a statistical association: having suffered violence during childhood does not mean that a person is destined to suffer it again as an adult. However, data show a higher frequency of violence in adulthood among women who report previous experiences of violence in childhood.
