Crime in Finland 2021: fewer assaults, more rapes

The Finnish statistical office published on Friday the preliminary crime data recorded in the country during the first quarter of 2021.

According to the figures released, at the beginning of the year the number of assaults fell considerably, especially in public establishments such as restaurants, partly due to the epidemic of the coronavirus that forced to close most of them. The number of murders and homicides also fell.

However, the numbers show other worrying developments, such as the increase in the number of rapes and sexual abuses of a child.

Overall, the number of offences against the Criminal Code recorded by the police was 102,200, which is 8.7% fewer than in January to March 2020. A total of 1,300 offences were recorded by the customs and 300 by the border guard.

The number of assault offences recorded was 7,000, which is 13.4% fewer year-on-year. The number of assaults that took place in restaurants decreased by 77.4% and the number of assaults that took place in public places by 18.5%.

The number of assaults in private dwellings decreased by 5.5%, but the number of assaults in other private locations increased by 9.4%.

A total of 384 aggravated assaults were recorded, which is 48 cases fewer than in January to March of the previous year.

Murders, rapes, sexual abuses

The recorded number of offences against life (meaning manslaughter, murder and killing) was 17, which is eight cases fewer than in 2020. Attempted homicides numbered 70, which is 18 cases fewer than in the year before.

In all, from 399 rapes were recorded, which is 47 cases or 13% more than in January to March 2020.

The recorded number of sexual abuses of a child was 463, which is 3.6% more than in the year before.

In addition, 280 other sexual offences were reported. Cases of sexual harassment also increased.

Source: Statistics Finland.

Offences against property, drugs

In January to March 2021, a total of 45,400 offences against property were recorded, which is 8,300 cases or fewer than in the previous year.

Nearly 9,000 frauds were recorded, which is 6.7% more year-on-year. Of them, 500 were aggravated frauds.

Altogether 412 robberies were reported, which is 13.1% down. A total of 24,300 theft offences (theft, aggravated theft, petty theft) were reported, which is 6,000 cases (19.8%) fewer than in January to March 2020. Break-ins into houses and free-time residences numbered 700, which is 29.3% fewer than in 2020.

Altogether, 11,600 thefts and petty thefts from shops were recorded, which is 10.5% fewer than in the year before.

The number of narcotics offences recorded was almost 7,600, which is down by 25.7% from the year before. Of them, around two out of three (5,200) are use offences.