It's the dead of night in Qualiano, a town north of Naples, when a desperate call reaches the emergency number 112.
On the other end of the line are a terrified mother and father: their son, just eighteen, is outside his house, screaming that he wants to kill them. It's not the first time this has happened.
The young man—already subject to a precautionary measure prohibiting him from approaching his parents—has violated the rules once again. Drug addiction and withdrawal symptoms are driving him to increasingly violent acts, transforming what was once a peaceful home into a theater of daily fear.
The intervention of the police
With sirens blaring, officers from the Giugliano company's mobile radio unit arrive, surrounding the area and attempting to approach the boy. He, clearly agitated, tries to flee. He runs between parked cars, screams, and tugs at the officers who try to restrain him.
The fight lasted only a few seconds, but the tension was high: it took the strength of several police officers to immobilize him and restore calm.
The 18-year-old is arrested and taken to the police station.
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A story of family desperation
Behind the arrest lies a story of family degradation and impotence that, unfortunately, is not unique in Qualiano—as in many other municipalities in the northern area.
The parents, exhausted by months of violence, had already reported their son several times in the hope that law enforcement intervention could save him from himself.
But every time, after yet another incident, it would start all over again: demands for money, screaming, threats, destruction of items in the house. And the fear that the situation might end in bloodshed.
According to initial reconstructions, the young man's addiction began in adolescence, when he began using soft substances, then progressed to harder drugs. Over time, his use spiraled into addiction and violence, with his family becoming the primary victims.
The drama of domestic violence
The Qualiano episode brings to the forefront an increasingly widespread but often silent problem: domestic violence perpetrated by children against their parents.
A phenomenon that in Campania—according to data collected by law enforcement—is constantly growing, often linked to drug addiction, mental health issues, and a lack of social and health support services.
Many families live in terror, torn between the love for their children and the fear of being subjected to their uncontrollable anger. Often, as in this case, reporting becomes the only possible defense.
But the bitterness remains of a system that intervenes only when violence erupts, without offering real recovery paths or psychological assistance for those living in these situations.
A social alarm cry
Qualiano's story is a wake-up call for the entire community: behind every arrest, behind every news headline, lies a broken family network, an educational void, and a prevention system unable to withstand the impact of youth marginalization.
Once the sirens of the police have stopped, all that remains are the tears of two parents who have seen their son become their nightmare.
Comments (1)
It's truly sad to read about these stories. How can it get to this point? The family should be a safe place, not a place of violence. Let's hope there's more help for those who need it.