Premier Giorgia Meloni, speaking from the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, expressed support for the recent comments made by Italian Minister of Education Giuseppe Valditara. The minister had linked the issue of patriarchy and violence against women, in part, to the phenomenon of "illegal migration."

"Illegal migration affects the incidence of violence against women, together with other causes", confirmed Meloni.

In contrast, President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella, addressing the National Assembly of Confesercenti on November 19, highlighted the positive role of integration. "The presence of firms headed by migrant citizens is increasing. Therefore trade can also provide a stimulus for integration, a strong factor of security," Mattarella stated.

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Salvini: 'ISTAT figures link migration to increase in sexual crimes'

In support of Minister Valditara, Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini stated: "ISTAT figures correlate the migration phenomenon with the increased number of sexual crimes", he declared. For the Secretary of the Lega Party, every rapist "Could be cured with chemical castration".

Meanwhile, Minister of Interior Matteo Piantedosi announced a forthcoming meeting at Palazzo Chigi to address the use of electronic bracelets. Of the 10,458 electronic monitoring devices currently in use, 4,677 are applied in cases of stalking. Piantedosi also shared recent statistics on homicides: from 1 January to 3 November of this year, 263 people were killed in Italy, including 96 women. Among the female victims, 82 were murdered in domestic or family contexts, with 51 killed by their partners or former partners.

"Even our country has to act to promote an unequivocal and brave message: violence against women continues to be an emergency that must be contrasted with every possible solution," underscored Piantedosi.

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Outcry of criticism against Valditara from opposition and associations

The opposition and numerous associations defending women's rights strongly criticized the Minister of Education's words.

Speaking before the Lower Chamber, the Representative of the Democratic Party, Antonella Forattini, said that: "It is immoral for a Minister who has the responsibility to educate youth, to point the finger once again against foreigners as the cause of an issue which instead is a social plague."

"Valditara proved once again what he is made of, politically and from a human point of view he is inadequate," stated Nicola Fratoianni, the Leader of the Alliance of Greens and the Left.

Even the party Azione, with Fabrizio Benzoni and Alessio D'Amato, criticized the words of the Minister: "He rekindles racist tropes, it is disgusting," they stated.

"Worse than the lies of Valditara there are only those of those repeating them, such as our Premier Giorgia Meloni," accused the Secretary of the +Europa party, Riccardo Magi.

The Democratic party representative Debora Serracchiani recalled how 80 percent of women's homicides are at the hands of Italians.

Lastly, the criticism of Valditara arrived from unions and students: the unions called for the resignation of the Minister of Education, and on December 13 it will march on the streets also with this request.

For the students of the Student Union (UDS) the Minister's words are "racist and negationist", in one word "unacceptable".

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