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VIOLENCE

Violence against women costs Italy billions

Violence against women costs Italy €17 billion a year in social services, prevention measures and other costs, an Italian charity said this week.

Violence against women costs Italy billions
In 2012, Italian authorities reportedly spent €6.3 million on measures to prevent violence against women. Photo: Guy Sie/Flickr

Italy directly spends an estimated €2.3 billion on social services related to violence against women, while more than €14 billion can be attributed to other costs, according to Intervita development figures quoted by ANSA.

In 2012 Italian authorities invested €6.3 million in prevention measures, ANSA said. The same year 124 women were murdered, according to the national statistics agency Istat.

There were a number of high-profile attacks against women and girls in 2013, such as a schoolgirl who was allegedly burnt alive by her boyfriend and a series of acid attacks against women.

The high rate of violence against women has been attributed by some experts as a problem of Italian culture, with attacks on women accepted as a societal norm.

SEE ALSO: 'Violence against women is a cultural problem'

Last summer, however, the Italian government made moves to tackle the issue, appointing a special advisor and introducing a bill which aimed to give greater protection to women.

READ MORE: Italy cracks down on violence against women

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