At least 1.4 million Italian women between the ages of 16 and 70 were abused or maltreated before turning 16, according to figures released on Friday by national statistics bureau Istat.

According to Istat 6.6% of Italian women have been subjected to violence, almost equally divided between relatives (23.8%) and strangers (24.8%).

In all, some 14 million Italian women have suffered some sort of sexual, physical or mental abuse before or after their teen years.

More than six million - or 30.5% - were abused by their partners.