Sexual offences increased in Finland so far in 2019

Finnish police, customs and border guard recorded almost 333,500 offences against the Criminal Code from January to September 2019, according to Statistics Finland preliminary data. This is only 200 cases more (0.1% more) than in the same period of 2018. However, some very serious crimes have increased worryingly this year.

This is the case of, for example, sexual crimes. The figures published by Statistics Finland show that in the last nine months 1,128 rapes were recorded, which was 121 cases more (12%) than in January to September 2018. Similarly, the recorded number of sexual abuses of a child was 1,209, which is 20.9% more than in the year before.

Aggravated rape of a child was added to the Criminal Code on 15 April 2019. Twenty six cases of aggravated rape of a child have been reported. In addition, 813 other sexual offences were reported in the period analyzed. Of them, 403 were cases of sexual harassment, which is 31 cases (8.3%) more than in January to September 2018.

The recorded numbers of rapes and sexual abuses of a child reported to the authorities vary much yearly. And it is important to remark that individual reports of an offence may include a series of incidents comprising several criminal acts.

In total, 3,150 sexual offences were recorded in Finland in this period, 387 more than one year before.

Source: Statistics Finland

Offences against property and frauds

Offences against property also rose. During January to September 2019, a total of 158,200 were recorded, which is 3,100 cases more (2%) than in the corresponding period of the previous year.

A total of 20,700 frauds (fraud, petty fraud, aggravated fraud...) were recorded, which is 14% more than in the previous year. Of them, 1,500 were aggravated frauds (18% more than one year earlier).

The number of robberies recorded was 1,300, which was close on 1% up from January to September 2018. Of robberies, 234 were aggravated.

A total of 92,700 theft offences (thefts, petty thefts and aggravated thefts) were reported in January to September 2019, which was 700 cases (0.7%) more than in 2018. The number of aggravated thefts recorded was 2,000, which is down by 10% from the year before.

The recorded number of break-ins into houses and free-time residences was 3,300 which is 11% fewer than in 2018.

Altogether, 34,400 thefts and petty thefts from shops were recorded, which is 2% more than in the year before.

In January to September 2019, the recorded number of damages to property was 22,800, which is 300 cases fewer than in the previous year.

More narcotics offences

The number of drunken driving was 14,200 in January to September 2019, which is as much as in the corresponding period in 2018. Good one-third of the recorded drunken driving cases (5,200) were aggravated drunken driving. Basic drunken driving cases increased by 2%. Around 60% of basic drunken driving cases were caused by the use of narcotic substances. 

The number of narcotics offences recorded was 22,300, which is up by 2% on the year before. The number of aggravated narcotics offences went up by 13%. A total of 1,000 of them were recorded. Around two out of three narcotics offences were use offences. The recorded number was 15,300, which is 5% more than in January to September 2018.

A total of 3,100 cases of identity theft were recorded, which is good 200 cases (8%) more than in 2018. Identity theft was added to the Criminal Code on 4 September 2015 and by the end of 2015, a total of 518 cases of identity theft had been reported.

Altogether, 50,200 cases of endangerment of traffic safety, aggravated endangerment of traffic safety and hit-and-runs were recorded, which is 4,600 cases fewer than in January to September 2018.