Berlusconi says female party-goers victims

ROME, Nov. 23 (UPI) -- Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said 32 women who attended the alleged sex parties at his home were being victimized by Milan prosecutors.

A Milan court said earlier this week the women would be considered civil plaintiffs in a case in which Berlusconi is accused of paying for sex with an underage prostitute, ANSA reported Wednesday.

"The girls are the victims of the Milan prosecutors and the preliminary judge who authorized the start of the trial," Berlusconi said Monday after a hearing on a separate trial involving alleged tax fraud at his Mediaset communications empire. "The only thing they did wrong was accept an invitation to dinner from the premier. The Milan prosecutors have the grave responsibility of having ruined the reputations of these women."

Berlusconi has maintained his innocence in all the court cases filed against him, claiming he is the victim of a group of allegedly left-wing prosecutors and judges he claims are after him for political reasons. Besides the sex-related case, there are three active cases involving alleged corruption.