Comparison between prostitutes' and general women's homicides: The experience of the bureau of legal medicine of Milan and Hinterland over 26 years

Med Leg J. 2020 Mar;88(1):14-21. doi: 10.1177/0025817219878027. Epub 2020 Jan 2.

Abstract

We present a retrospective study of prostitutes' homicide in the Milanese area over a 26-year period (1993-2018), and compare the results with general women's homicides: 294 women were killed of whom 71 were prostitutes. In the general population, the type-victim is an Italian woman aged between 31 and 40 years suffering from no particular pathologies or drug dependence. Prostitutes are 10 years younger, mostly Italian, suffering from pathologies probably related to their activities. Prostitutes remain at high risk of violence, due to gaps in the crime prevention system.

Keywords: Prostitutes; forensic pathology; homicide; violence against women.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Female
  • Homicide / trends*
  • Humans
  • Italy
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Sex Workers / statistics & numerical data*