Violence Against Healers in Italy: A Medico-Legal Inquiry into Patient Aggression

Abstract

In recent years, Italy has experienced a significant increase in violence against healthcare workers, mirroring a global trend. Manifesting as verbal, physical, psychological, and material aggression, this phenomenon endangers both personnel safety and the foundational principles of the National Health Service (SSN) as outlined in Article 32 of the Italian Constitution. The escalation—most acute in emergency departments, psychiatric units, inpatient wards, and community services—affects a broad spectrum of professionals, compromising care quality and institutional integrity. Data from the FNOMCeO-CENSIS Report 2023–2024 reveal over 18,000 reported incidents in 2024, with verbal assaults disproportionately affecting female nursing staff. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated systemic vulnerabilities, heightening user dissatisfaction and psychological strain among healthcare providers. In response, legislative actions—such as Law No. 113/2020 and Decree-Law No. 137/2024—aim to strengthen prevention, monitoring, and penal measures. This article examines legal, institutional, and organizational responses, including on-the-ground and hospital-based strategies to mitigate violence. Adopting a multidisciplinary perspective, it analyzes recent policy developments, regional dynamics, and victim-perpetrator profiles, arguing that safeguarding healthcare environments is both a public security priority and an ethical imperative essential to preserving the dignity of care work and the resilience of the health system.