Sexual violence against minors: an investigation on the reports filed in the public prosecutor’s office at the juvenile court in Perugia from 1991 to 2006

Abstract

The present survey emerges from the need to investigate a very complex phenomenon, that is sexual abuse of minors, pedophilia and crime against children and teenagers in general. The aim of the study was to deal with this topic, which has in recent years been given much attention by the media and public opinion, from a scientific point of view. Apart from the difficulties in defining and making diagnosis of sexual violence, the statistical-epidemiological aspects were problematic due to both the complexities in collecting data on this crime and evaluating the actual extent of the phenomenon. Considering the complex nature there of the main target of this investigation was to outline the Umbrian situation as accurately as possible by comparing it with the results of other national and international surveys in order to learn more about this phenomenon. Cases of sexual violence against minors reported to the police from 1991 to 2006 and filed in the Public Prosecutor’s Office at the Juvenile Court in Perugia were consulted. It has emerged from this research that the situation in Umbria partially reflects other Italian and international statistical data and in some aspects diverges from them.