Violence against women

ISTAT presents results from a new survey, fully dedicated, for the first time, to physical and sexual violence against women (Istat already collected data on sexual harassment and sexual violence in 1997 and then in 2002, in the context of the victimization survey “The citizens safety survey”). The sample includes 25 thousand women aged between 16 and 70,  telephone interviewed, widespread in all the country, from January to October 2006.

The survey represents the result of a partnership between ISTAT, the Institute that carried on the survey, and the Ministry for the Rights and the Equal Opportunities that provided financial support with funds from the National Operative Programme “Safety” and ‘system actions’ of the European Social Fund.

The survey on women’s safety, gives a measure of three different types of violence against women: physical, sexual and psychological violence, inside the family (from partner or ex-partner) and outside family (from an unknown person, acquaintances, a friend, a colleague, a family friend, a relative etc..). Physical violence is ranked from the less the most serious one: the threat to be physically hit, to be pushed, grabbed or yanked, knocked with an object, slapped, kicked, punched or bitten, victim of a attempted strangulation, of a choking, burning and threats with weapons. As sexual violence all situations in which women are forced to do or suffer sexual acts of different nature, against their own will are considered: rape, attempted rape, sexual physical harassment, sexual intercourses with a third party, undesired sexual intercourses, suffered for fear of consequences, degrading and humiliating sexual activities. Verbal harassment, shadowing, acts of exhibitionism and indecent telephone calls are not detected. Psychological violence includes denigration, behaviour control, segregation strategies, intimidations, heavy financial restraint suffered by partner’s side.