Number of suicides in Italy 2000-2021, by gender

In 2021, the number of individuals who took their life in Italy amounted to 3,870, with more than three thousand deaths by suicide among men. The number of suicides has fluctuated since the 2000s and a clear trend cannot be identified except for the constantly higher proportion of men taking their life. In 2020, most suicides were carried out by hanging and asphyxiation both among men and women.

Suicide among prisoners

In 2022, the number of suicides among prisoners in Italy was 84, the highest number since the nineties. Among them, 39 percent were waiting for their first trial, while 46 percent were already sentenced. Most suicides occurred among detainees aged between 26 and 39 years.

Suicide in the military

While the suicide rate among the general population is decreasing in Italy, higher rates can be observed in the military and security personnel. In 2020, the number of suicides in the Italian military, which encompasses army, navy, air force, and carabinieri, amounted to 23. Among them, 15 were part of the carabinieri, the Italian national gendarmerie.