Italian
The III National Survey reveals alarming data: over 113,000 minors victims of abuses. The CNDDU launches a campaign for more aware schools ready to take action
ROME. The National Coordination of Teachers of Human Rights expresses deep concern and indignation in light of the dramatic data released on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, during the official presentation of the III National Survey on the mistreatment of children and adolescents in Italy, promoted by the Guarantor Authority for childhood and adolescence in collaboration with Terre des Hommes and CISMAI.
The survey, presented in the Polyfunctional Hall of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers in the presence of Marina Terragni (Guarantor Authority), Donatella Vergari (President of Terre des Hommes), and Marianna Giordano (President of CISMAI), paints a disturbing and urgent picture: in Italy, 113,892 minors are victims of abuse out of a total of 374,310 taken care of by social services, equal to 30.4%. This is a dramatically increasing figure, considering that in 2018 the percentage was at 19.3%. In concrete terms, this means that today 13 children out of 1,000 are experiencing violence or severe neglect, compared to 9 just five years ago.
A real national emergency, involving the entire social fabric, and rooted in the growing fragility of the family unit: in fact, 87% of abuse occurs within the domestic walls. Witnessed violence – meaning a child witnessing violence between parents or towards other family members – alone accounts for 34% of cases, while neglect (neglect) in educational, emotional, and physical areas stands at 37%, making it the most common form of abuse. This is followed by psychological violence (12%), physical abuse (11%), care pathology (4%), and sexual abuse (2%).
Equally disturbing is the fact that 52% of reports come from the judicial authority, with schools at 14%, families at 12%, and health services almost non-existent (4%), while general practitioners and pediatricians – potentially very valuable sentinels – do not exceed 1%.
In this scenario, the CNDDU issues an urgent appeal to the Minister of Education and Merit, so that the Italian school is recognized and structured as an active outpost in the prevention and reporting of children’s distress. A national plan for ongoing training of teachers and educators is necessary, to make them capable of identifying early signs of distress, activating support networks, collaborating with social and health services, and – above all – listening.
It is in this perspective that our proposal is born: National campaign “I SEE YOU. I BELIEVE YOU.”
A educational and social mobilization, to be promoted in all Italian schools, with the aim of:
- Give a voice to the silent victims of abuse.
- Create safe, trusting, and nurturing school environments.
- Raise awareness among the educational community to recognize and counteract every form of violence.
Through workshops, meetings, digital materials, testimonials, and intergenerational exchanges, “I SEE YOU. I BELIEVE YOU.” aims to break the silence still surrounding domestic violence, giving young people the right to be recognized, believed, and supported.
The data speaks for itself: mistreatment is not a marginal issue. It affects children all over the country, with a higher incidence in the South, where cases double (from 5 to 10 per 1,000). And it affects without distinction of gender, even though with differences in the ways: males are more frequently victims of educational neglect, assisted violence, and care pathologies, while females are more exposed to sexual abuse (77%) and psychological violence (53%).
Another crucial piece of data concerns the age of the victims: only 18% are between 0 and 5 years old, compared to 32% (6-10 years old) and 50% (11-17 years old). This signals a systemic inability to intervene early, when the trauma could still be prevented or mitigated. It is no coincidence that only 28% of children under 3 years old attend an educational service, with stark disparities between Northern and Southern Italy.
Finally, the duration of the care provided by social services – exceeding two years in 56% of cases – demonstrates how deep and complex the impact of abuse is. However, in 12% of cases, no specific service is activated, further indicating an incomplete protection system.
The 2025 survey represents a methodological and civil watershed: it has expanded the sample to 326 municipalities (compared to 196 in 2021), aligning itself with WHO standards and introducing for the first time a disaggregated classification of neglect, which further highlights the centrality of educational care in children’s lives.
The CNDDU calls on the entire country’s system to take responsibility. Defending childhood can no longer be just a slogan, but a concrete, daily, and systemic priority. No reform will be credible if it does not start from here: the right to grow up without fear. Those who do not see are accomplices. Those who do not believe are part of the harm. Those who educate, must know.
