Crime rates in Italy are on the rise, with approximately 70% of women expressing fear about going out alone at night.
According to a survey conducted by University Sensis involving 1,000 adults, 67.3% of women reported feeling apprehensive when walking home after dark. Report.
There’s a widespread belief among Italians that their country has become more perilous over the past five years, with 75.8% of them agreeing, and this concern increases to 81.8% among women. Nearly 40% admitted that they had stopped going out in the evenings due to fear of becoming victims of crime.
In total, there were 2,388,716 crimes reported across Italy last year, marking a 2% increase from 2023 and a 3.8% rise compared to 2019.
Crimes specifically targeting women have surged, especially sexual assaults, which increased by 34.9%, resulting in 6,587 reported cases last year.
The survey indicated that 25.6% of women experienced sexual harassment, 23.1% faced robbery or pickpocketing, and 29.5% encountered aggressive strangers.
The rise in sexual crimes is attributed by some to a significant influx of illegal immigrants. In 2023, 43% of all sexual assaults were perpetrated by foreigners, who make up only about 8% of the population.
Last year, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who advocates against mass immigration, commented on the correlation between mass migration and sexual crimes. She noted, “Now I’m labeled as racist, but there’s a notable incidence of sexual violence, especially involving individuals who migrate illegally.”
Reports indicate that Milan had the highest crime rate in 2024, with 69.7 crimes per 1,000 residents, followed by Florence at 65.3, and Rome at 64.1.
In January, authorities arrested numerous men of North African descent in Milan after a group of young female tourists suffered a gang sexual assault during a public event. Officials suggested that the incident was part of a practice known as Tahalsugamea, or “collective sexual harassment,” which allegedly targeted individuals as a form of public humiliation.
Disproportionate rates of sexual offenses among immigrants have also been reported in other European nations, including the UK. A report from last month indicated that 8,500 foreigners were arrested on suspicion of sexual offenses the previous year, accounting for one in five cases, even though immigrants represent roughly 16.8% of the population.
Some immigrant groups show significantly higher arrest rates for sexual offenses, with Sudanese individuals being 20 times more likely to be arrested compared to British citizens. This was followed by those from Afghanistan, Eritrea, Iran, and Iraq, while immigrants from Canada and Germany had lower offense rates than British nationals. This has led to discussions about limiting immigration from countries associated with higher rates of violence and criminal activity.
