In 2023, Italy recorded 5,832 sexual assaults, with foreigners responsible for 43.3% of these crimes—despite making up only 8% of the population.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni faced criticism for highlighting the disproportionate role immigrants, especially those illegally in the country, play in violent crimes against women. “Now I’ll be called racist, but the facts speak for themselves,” Meloni said. “When you have nothing, it leads to degeneration, and we see this in sexual violence.”
She backed up her statement with hard data: foreigners accounted for 2,524 of the assaults. Meloni, emphasizing the importance of public safety, pointed to her government’s actions—boosting police forces and enacting stricter laws to fight crime. “We must ensure criminals face consequences,” she stressed.
On supporting victims, Meloni called for better training for magistrates and police handling these cases, acknowledging the complex emotional and psychological challenges victims face. She also lauded Italy’s bipartisan progress on violence against women, with a new law passed unanimously last year.
Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini added to the conversation, expressing concern about the growing threat posed by uncontrolled immigration.
• Saman Abbas, 18 anni, uccisa dai genitori e dallo zio, cittadini del Pakistan.
• Renée Amato, 19 anni, uccisa a colpi di pistola dall’ex fidanzato.
• Michelle Causo, 17 anni, uccisa da un ragazzo di origini cingalesi che lasciò il corpo in un carrello della… pic.twitter.com/tRfWFJ4wqU
— Matteo Salvini (@matteosalvinimi) November 25, 2024
He pointed to tragic cases like Saman Abbas, killed by her Pakistani family, and Pamela Mastropietro, murdered by a Nigerian national. Salvini linked these tragedies to immigration policies, stressing the importance of protecting Italian values. “Violence knows no nationality, but recognizing patterns helps us find effective solutions,” he argued. He also warned that unchecked immigration from cultures with different values poses a serious threat to public safety.
