Finland’s homicide rate drops but violence against women persists

By admin On Aug 23, 2025

Photo: Heikki Saukkomaa / Lehtikuva

Finland’s overall homicide rate has fallen sharply over the past decade, but the number of women killed has not declined, according to new findings from the University of Helsinki’s Institute of Criminology and Legal Policy.

Between 2013 and 2023, the national homicide rate dropped from 1.4 to 0.9 per 100,000 people. The reduction was primarily due to fewer male victims. In contrast, the number of female victims remained nearly constant throughout the period.

The average number of male victims fell from 62 per year in 2013–2015 to 49 in 2020–2023. Over the same periods, the average number of women killed annually rose slightly from 22 to 24.

The findings are based on long-term crime data, including cases of murder, manslaughter and negligent homicide. The decline in homicides slowed somewhat in the early 2020s, but the overall trend remained downward.

The study found that most male victims were killed by someone they knew, typically a friend or acquaintance. In contrast, nearly 60 percent of female victims were killed by a current or former partner.

Homicides committed against strangers were rare, accounting for only about 12 percent of cases.

Men made up the majority of both offenders and victims. The data also indicated that alcohol and other intoxicants played a frequent role. In six out of ten cases, both the victim and the perpetrator were under the influence. In nearly three-quarters of cases, at least one party had used intoxicants.

Most homicides occurred in private homes. Both men and women were most commonly killed in their own residences.

The study confirms a long-term decline in Finland’s homicide rate, although short-term spikes have been recorded. Statistics Finland reported an increase in killings in 2023, suggesting that year-to-year fluctuations still occur.

Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi