The most recent report of the Italian Ministry of the Interior reveals that between January 2023 and July 2024, 499 homicides were committed in Italy. The number of homicides has recorded a decreasing trend since 2011. Overall, about 2.3 million criminal acts were reported in Italy in 2023. Femicide Femicide, a homicide in which a woman is killed for gender-based reasons, poses a serious problem around the world. In 2018, roughly one in six Italians believed that femicide was on the rise. Women, victims of homicide, are often related to the culprit; in 2022, 74 women in Italy were killed by their partner. Crime in Italy In 2023, the most common crime in Italy was theft. Law enforcement corps reported one million cases of this delinquency to the juridical authority, with the highest theft rate in the Metropolitan city of Milan.

In 2023, 117 women in Italy were victims of homicide, with a decreasing trend line since 2002. In 2003, the peak of 192 homicides of females was reached. Among the ones murdered in 2023, 48 women were killed by a partner, 15 by an ex-partner, and 31 by a relative.

In 2023, 117 women were killed in Italy., nine less compared to 2022. Specifically, more than half of the homicides were committed either by the partner or by the ex-partner of the victim, whereas in 27 percent of the cases, the killer was a relative of the victim.

Intentional homicides (per 100,000 people) in Italy was reported at 0.51148 in 2021, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Italy - Intentional homicides (per 100;000 people) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Italy IT: Intentional Homicides: per 100,000 People data was reported at 0.800 Ratio in 2015. This stayed constant from the previous number of 0.800 Ratio for 2014. Italy IT: Intentional Homicides: per 100,000 People data is updated yearly, averaging 1.100 Ratio from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2015, with 21 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.776 Ratio in 1995 and a record low of 0.800 Ratio in 2015. Italy IT: Intentional Homicides: per 100,000 People data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Italy – Table IT.World Bank: Health Statistics. Intentional homicides are estimates of unlawful homicides purposely inflicted as a result of domestic disputes, interpersonal violence, violent conflicts over land resources, intergang violence over turf or control, and predatory violence and killing by armed groups. Intentional homicide does not include all intentional killing; the difference is usually in the organization of the killing. Individuals or small groups usually commit homicide, whereas killing in armed conflict is usually committed by fairly cohesive groups of up to several hundred members and is thus usually excluded.; ; UN Office on Drugs and Crime's International Homicide Statistics database.; Weighted average;

Between 1983 and 2017, the number of homicides related to mafia in Italy decreased. In the years between 1988 and 1992, 2.6 thousand homicides were committed by mafia organizations. From 2013 to 2017, the number of homicides amounted to 233.

In the last years, the number of reported mafia associations also experienced a decrease. In particular, in the year 2005, there were 153 organizations in Italy which were classified as mafia crime groups. In 2018, 93 mafia associations were known in Italy.

This statistic illustrates the annual number of male victims of homicide in Italy in from 2010 to 2017. According to the data, the highest number of male victims was registered in 2011 (381 victims per 100,000 inhabitants of the same gender). As of 2017, the number of murders was the lowest during the concerned period, with 234 cases of man murdered in Italy.

Italy IT: Intentional Homicides: Male: per 100,000 Male data was reported at 0.868 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1.150 Ratio for 2015. Italy IT: Intentional Homicides: Male: per 100,000 Male data is updated yearly, averaging 1.497 Ratio from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2016, with 16 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.070 Ratio in 2000 and a record low of 0.868 Ratio in 2016. Italy IT: Intentional Homicides: Male: per 100,000 Male data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Italy – Table IT.World Bank: Health Statistics. Intentional homicides, male are estimates of unlawful male homicides purposely inflicted as a result of domestic disputes, interpersonal violence, violent conflicts over land resources, intergang violence over turf or control, and predatory violence and killing by armed groups. Intentional homicide does not include all intentional killing; the difference is usually in the organization of the killing. Individuals or small groups usually commit homicide, whereas killing in armed conflict is usually committed by fairly cohesive groups of up to several hundred members and is thus usually excluded.; ; UN Office on Drugs and Crime's International Homicide Statistics database.; ;

Italy IT: Intentional Homicides: Female: per 100,000 Female data was reported at 0.488 Ratio in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.445 Ratio for 2015. Italy IT: Intentional Homicides: Female: per 100,000 Female data is updated yearly, averaging 0.535 Ratio from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2016, with 16 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.661 Ratio in 2003 and a record low of 0.445 Ratio in 2015. Italy IT: Intentional Homicides: Female: per 100,000 Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Italy – Table IT.World Bank: Health Statistics. Intentional homicides, female are estimates of unlawful female homicides purposely inflicted as a result of domestic disputes, interpersonal violence, violent conflicts over land resources, intergang violence over turf or control, and predatory violence and killing by armed groups. Intentional homicide does not include all intentional killing; the difference is usually in the organization of the killing. Individuals or small groups usually commit homicide, whereas killing in armed conflict is usually committed by fairly cohesive groups of up to several hundred members and is thus usually excluded.; ; UN Office on Drugs and Crime's International Homicide Statistics database.; ;

Forecast: People Killed in Road Accidents in Italy 2024 - 2028 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

In 2019, the Southern province of Naples had the largest number of homicide carried out by mafia organizations. Eleven of ** voluntary manslaughters occurred in Naples. That year, all ** homicides happened in the Southern regions or on the islands.

Forecast: Pedestrians Killed in Road Accidents in Italy 2024 - 2028 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

In 2023, the metropolitan city of Milan ranked first in terms of crime rate, as it recorded 7,100 felonies per 100,000 inhabitants. Furthermore, the provinces of Rome and Florence followed with around 6,000 cases reported. In Milan, burglaries in shops and thefts were much more common than in any other Italian provinces. Frequent car thefts The Southern province of Barletta-Andria-Trani, in the region of Apulia, was the place in Italy with the highest rate of stolen cars. Roughly 697 cases per every 100,000 residents were registered in 2019. Catania had the second-largest rate with about 656 reports. Nationwide, the three most frequently stolen car models belonged to Fiat, the leading Italian vehicle manufacturer. Moreover, a Lancia car model ranked fourth. This company was also part of the Fiat Group, which, however, only sells vehicles in Italy. Mafia associations  In the last years, the number of mafia associations in Italy experienced a decline. However, there are still dozens of mafia-type organizations in the country. The Southern region of Campania was the place faced with the largest amount of crime associations. In total, 67 of such crimes were reported in Campania in 2019.

Forecast: Number of Persons Killed in Road Accidents in Central Italy 2024 - 2028 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

Between 1983 and 2017, the share of homicides related to mafia in Italy decreased. In fact, in the years between 1988 and 1992, 33.1 percent of all homicides in Italy were committed by mafia organizations. From 2013 to 2017, the share of homicides linked to mafia was equal to 9.1 percent of all cases.

In the last years, the number of reported mafia associations also experienced a decrease. In particular, in 2005, there were 153 organizations in Italy which were classified as mafia crime groups. In 2018, 93 mafia associations were known in Italy.

Forecast: Number of Persons Killed in Road Accidents in Northwest Italy 2024 - 2028 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

This statistic shows the number of murder cases committed by the Mafia in Italy from the firstsemester of 2015 to the second semester of 2017, by organization type. According to the study results, the Campanian Mafia committed the most killings over the selected period, and was responsible for 28 murder cases in the second half of 2017.

Forecast: Number of Persons Killed in Road Accidents in Northeast Italy 2024 - 2028 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

In 2020, the Italian regions with the highest number of violent crimes were Lombardy, Campania, and Lazio. They were, however, also Italy's most populous regions. That year, there were ** thousand records of violent crimes in the Northern region of Lombardy. Campania, in the South, had the second-most violent crimes at **** thousand, while Lazio counted ** thousand reports. Violent crime sub-categories include homicide, murder, assault, manslaughter, sexual assault, rape, robbery, negligence, endangerment, and kidnapping. Data was provided by Mine Crime, an Italian company which collects data on criminality in Italy.

Gender-based violence (GBV) is increasingly recognized as a critical global public health issue (WHO, 2021). According to UN Women (2020), GBV refers to any harm inflicted on an individual or group due to their actual or perceived sex, gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity (Council of Europe, 2011). This broad definition encompasses various forms of violence—non-verbal, verbal, sexual, physical, economic, and psychological—impacting women, men, and the LGBTQIA+ community. The consequences of GBV are devastating and can result in long-term physical, mental, and emotional health problems, educational setbacks, job difficulties, or even death (Hazel, Kleyman, 2020; Riger et al., 2000). While both men and women may experience GBV, the majority of its burden falls on women and girls. Indeed, men and boys can be victims of GBV and so too can those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) (Carlton et al., 2016). However, it is widely acknowledged that most people affected by GBV are women and girls (Council of Europe, 2011). Thus, this highlights that violence against women is a significant part of the broader issue of GBV (Bloom, 2008). Italy is not exempt from the challenges posed by GBV. Violence against women and girls remains a long-standing issue that shows little sign of abating (Amnesty International Italia, 2021a; 2021b; EIGE, 2021a; 2021b; Istat, 2021; Eures, 2021). In recent years, Italians witnessed many high-profile cases of gender violence and femicides that attracted public attention. The forms of violence, however, are diverse, and traditional metrics of abuse have evolved due to the rise of the Internet and social media, which have created new vectors for violence against women (Amnesty International Italia, 2020; 2021b). Furthermore, during the COVID-19 pandemic, women’s rights NGOs reported a significant increase in domestic violence, with national helplines experiencing a surge in calls—from approximately 13,400 in 2019 to over 23,000 in 2020 (Amnesty International, 2021b). In recent years, violence against LGBTQIA+ individuals has also garnered significant attention, highlighted by ongoing public discussions regarding homotransphobia and related legislation. The latest statistics from ISTAT indicate that, in 2014, 1 in 3 women aged 16-70 (31.5%) have experienced some form of physical or sexual violence during their lifetime. Specifically, 20.2% have suffered physical violence, 21% sexual violence, and 5.4% the most severe forms (e.g., rape and attempted rape). Data also reveals that the most severe forms of violence are often perpetrated by partners, relatives, or friends. As of October 24, 2024, the Ministero dell’Interno documented 249 recorded homicides in Italy since January 1, with 89 female victims. Of these women, 77 were killed in family or intimate contexts, and 48 were murdered by their partner or ex-partner. Compared to the same period in 2023, there has been a 12% decrease in overall homicides (from 282 to 249) and a 15% decrease in female victims (from 100 to 89). In response, the Italian government has adopted several proactive legal measures aimed at combating violence against women and girls (VAWG) and supporting victims. This rise suggests that awareness efforts, particularly through traditional media and the Internet, are becoming more effective. Furthermore, media narratives have played a crucial role in shaping societal attitudes towards GBV. According to Capecchi and Gius (2023), discussions have shifted from framing violence as isolated acts of brutality—often attributed to psychologically unstable individuals—to a more nuanced, gender-aware framework that recognizes social disparities in power. High-profile cases have ignited public outrage and drawn attention to the severity of GBV. It is in such context that this article explores the perception and acceptance of GBV in Italy. More specifically, the study explores the perception of GBV, extending the definition of violence to include both men and women while examining less commonly discussed and more subtle forms of violence. While previous research has primarily focused on physical and psychological violence, this study expands the scope to include 'grey zone' areas such as subtle non-verbal, verbal, and physical acts. The study argues that the acceptance of subtle acts is the first steps leading to wider normalization of violence. The study thus seeks to: 1. Examine the perceived normality and acceptance of violence 2. Study the role of the gender in the assessment of violence 3. Analyze the how the nature of the relationships between people and the social context where they are embedded influence the perceived normality and acceptance of violence and moderate the role of gender for the assessment. 4. Investigate the willingness to intervene against violence 5. Assess whether the perceived normality and the willingness to intervene varies according to respondents' gender and their previous experiences or related incidents of violence. The study uniquely examines various forms of GBV (non-verbal, verbal, physical) and the dynamics involved (e.g., the gender of the victim and offender, and their relationship), potentially expanding the discourse beyond the traditional focus on physical and psychological violence in male-offender and female-victim scenarios. Also, it tests the acceptance of violence on both men and women in Italy. This is particularly relevant in understanding male intervention, aligning with the growing recognition that men can serve as bystanders and advocates for gender transformation (Flood, 2018; Bolton et al., 2024). The study relies on a factorial survey (vignette) experiment that is administrated in the fall 2024 in Italy by Dynata.

(This study is part of a broader project titled "Inequality between reality and perception: socio-economic status, gender and immigration in Italy (IneqPer)" which is funded by the Italian competitive grant PRIN-PNRR 2022 (P2022TWZN3).)