This report on Italy was developed by ECPAT International in cooperation with the Council of Europe as part of a wider initiative assessing how member states meet their obligations under the Lanzarote Convention. It explores legal and policy measures, institutional frameworks, prevention strategies, and support for vulnerable children, offering insight into progress made and ongoing challenges.

Italy has taken important steps to improve its legal and policy response to child sexual abuse and exploitation, especially by aligning with the Lanzarote Convention. These reforms have helped strengthen prevention, protection, and access to justice. However, serious gaps remain. Migrant and Roma children, as well as boys, continue to face high risks, often without the support they need. Online abuse is on the rise, many cases still go unreported, and children are rarely involved in shaping the policies that affect them. While progress has been made, more inclusive and coordinated efforts are essential to ensure that all children in Italy are truly protected.

Child sexual abuse and exploitation remain serious and often hidden violations of children’s rights in Italy. These crimes cause lasting harm and are frequently committed in private or trusted settings, making them difficult to detect or report. Growing concerns around trafficking, institutional abuse, and online exploitation have highlighted the need for stronger, coordinated responses. As a member of the Council of Europe, Italy has recognised this urgency and taken steps to align its legal and policy framework with international standards.

Implementation of the Lanzarote Convention

Italy has made meaningful progress in combating child sexual abuse and exploitation, especially since ratifying the Lanzarote Convention in 2013. This treaty, adopted by the Council of Europe, obliges states to criminalise all forms of sexual violence against children and to develop coordinated strategies for prevention, protection, and prosecution.

In line with these commitments, Italy has introduced legal reforms, strengthened institutional frameworks, and adopted national plans aimed at safeguarding children. The legal definition of offences has been expanded, penalties have been increased for crimes committed by persons in a position of trust, and measures have been introduced to address grooming, child sexual abuse material, and abuse facilitated through travel and technology.

Scale of Abuse and Reporting

Despite this progress, the prevalence of child sexual abuse in Italy remains a matter of concern. In 2021, 2,285 criminal offences against children were officially recorded by the Ministry of the Interior, including 681 cases of sexual violence, 624 of solicitation, 589 of aggravated sexual violence, and 391 incidents involving sexual acts with children.

Reports from child helplines provide valuable insight into the nature of abuse cases. In 2022, the 1.96.96 helpline, operated by Telefono Azzurro, recorded 46 incidents of in-person abuse, involving 54 children. Of these children, 73% were girls, and 20% were under the age of ten, regardless of gender. In nearly 40% of the reported cases, the alleged offender was a parent or primary caregiver, highlighting the risks within the home environment.

Online sexual abuse is also on the rise. In the same year, the emergency hotline received 64 reports related to online exploitation. In 90% of these cases, the victims were children. 

Children are especially vulnerable to abuse by those they know and trust. Abuse often occurs at home, making it harder for children to speak out or access help. This is consistent with global evidence that most abuse happens within the so-called “circle of trust”.

Vulnerable Groups

Alongside these general trends, several groups of children are particularly exposed to increased risk. Unaccompanied and separated migrant children represent a significant share of those affected. In 2023 alone, more than 17,000 unaccompanied minors arrived in Italy by sea, and over 3,000 were reported missing from reception centres in 2020. These children are especially vulnerable to trafficking and exploitation, including sexual exploitation, in both transit and destination settings. Girls from West Africa and Eastern Europe, particularly from Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, and Romania, are often among those identified as victims.

Children from marginalised communities, including Roma communities, also face greater vulnerability due to structural discrimination, poverty, and limited access to education and services. Factors such as early and forced marriage, segregation, and unstable living conditions further increase the risk of exploitation. Although Roma children are not specifically recorded in national data, their increased risk of abuse and the lack of targeted protection have been regularly noted by civil society and international bodies.

Boys represent another group often underrepresented in national responses. While most reported victims are girls, child protection services indicate that boys, including migrant boys, are increasingly affected by sexual abuse and exploitation. Between 2018 and 2020, the number of boys seeking support from the 114 helpline steadily rose from 668 to 887. Many of these cases involved violence, including sexual abuse, in the context of migration or institutional care.

Online Abuse and Digital Risks

Digital technology has significantly changed the nature of child sexual exploitation in Italy, and the online space has become a major area of concern. Nearly all teenagers aged 15–17 report daily internet use, exposing them to grooming, sextortion, and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images.

In 2022, the Postal Police investigated 4,542 cases of online sexual abuse and exploitation and arrested 149 individuals. More than 2,700 websites were identified as hosting illegal content. Cases involving self-generated sexual material are also increasing, and children are often unprepared for the psychological consequences of image-based abuse. In one case, more than one million files of child sexual abuse material were found in the possession of a single individual.

National Action Plan and Prevention Measures

To address these risks, Italy has adopted a National Plan for Preventing and Combating Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (2022–2023), which includes education, awareness-raising, and professional training. It also supports the work of institutional bodies such as the National Observatory for Childhood and Adolescence.

However, gaps remain in the evaluation and enforcement of these strategies. For example, only 59% of Italian travel operators comply with the legal requirement to include warnings about child sexual exploitation, and reporting mechanisms are not always accessible in multiple languages or available around the clock.

Legal Framework

Italy’s legal framework has undergone significant strengthening in recent years. National criminal law includes specific offences related to sexual violence against children, such as sexual acts with minors, aggravated offences, and the corruption of minors. Penalties are increased when the perpetrator holds a position of authority or trust. The law also criminalises child pornography, online solicitation, and sexual abuse within families or care settings. Notably, the statute of limitations has been extended and now begins only once the child turns 18, providing more time for victims to come forward.

Additional measures address exploitation in the travel and tourism sector, although enforcement remains limited. Tour operators are legally required to include prevention messages in their materials, but implementation is inconsistent. A national register of offenders is in place, and background checks are required for professionals working with children. Victims are entitled to claim compensation, and legal aid is granted without income limits in criminal proceedings involving child sexual abuse.

Participation of Children and Survivors

The involvement of children in shaping protection measures remains limited. While consultations have taken place during the development of national plans, participation is often symbolic. The Lanzarote Committee, which monitors implementation of the Convention across member states, has repeatedly called for more meaningful involvement of children and survivors. Their insights are essential for designing effective, survivor-centred responses.

Coordination and Cooperation

Coordination and cooperation are integral to Italy’s child protection efforts. Multiple actors are involved at national, regional, and local levels, including government ministries, independent authorities, and civil society. The Department for Family Policies leads interinstitutional coordination through the National Observatory for Childhood and Adolescence.

Specialised coordination is provided by the Observatory for the Fight against Paedophilia and Child Pornography, which supports research, data collection, and strategy development. A Permanent Table on the Fight against Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation further promotes dialogue and the implementation of national plans.

Civil society plays a key role in prevention and victim support, though coordination at the local level remains inconsistent. Some regions lack the capacity or resources to fully implement national measures. Internationally, Italy cooperates with the Council of Europe and Interpol, but further efforts are needed to enhance monitoring, data sharing, and cross-border coordination.

Conclusion

Italy has taken important steps to align with the Lanzarote Convention and improve its child protection system. Nonetheless, structural challenges persist. Abuse within families and institutions, growing online risks, and the underprotection of migrant, Roma, and male children require sustained and inclusive action. More vigorous enforcement, better data collection, accessible services, and survivor-informed policies are essential to ensure that every child in Italy is protected from sexual violence. This is not only a legal obligation but a fundamental human rights duty.