Police defined about half of the recorded cases of assault and defamation as hate crimes based on motive. Photo: Heikki Saukkomaa / Lehtikuva
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The number of suspected hate crimes reported to police in Finland rose to 1,808 last year, the highest figure recorded since national monitoring began in 2008. The increase marks a 13 percent rise compared to the previous year.
Data from the Police University College shows the majority of reports involved assault and defamation. Most cases cited the victim’s ethnic or national background as the motive. Reports involving sexual or gender identity, and disability, also increased sharply.
Police defined about half of the recorded cases as hate crimes based on motive. Under Finnish law, hate is not a separate offence but can increase the severity of sentencing. Final assessments of motive are determined by courts.
Of the total number, over 1,200 cases involved perceived ethnic or national background. That category alone grew by 12 percent. Men accounted for around 60 percent of the victims. Proportionally, Syrian nationals were the most targeted group, according to the report.
There were around 240 suspected hate crimes linked to sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. This figure also represents a 12 percent rise from the previous year. Reports of hate crimes against people with disabilities rose from 128 to 175 cases, a 37 percent increase. In around half of these, the suspected perpetrator was already known to the victim.
Jenita Rauta, a researcher at the Police University College, described the trend as alarming.
“Crimes targeting people with disabilities increased by a third from the year before,” she said in a press release.
“This reflects broader social polarisation, where individuals in vulnerable positions are targeted,” Rauta added.
Most reported hate crimes involved verbal abuse, threats, or harassment. Assaults were more commonly directed at men, while women were more often targeted with defamation.
Hate crimes motivated by religion accounted for just under ten percent of all reports. These cases decreased by four percent compared to the previous year. The most affected group in these reports were Muslims.
There were eleven reports involving the victim’s gender.
Police noted that improved identification and awareness of hate crime contributed to the rise in recorded cases. Authorities also used hate crime classifications more actively than in previous years.
Rauta said victims often knew the suspect, which underlined the importance of safety in everyday settings.
“This highlights the need to improve safety not only at home but also in schools, workplaces and community spaces,” she said.
Finland’s criminal code does not include specific offences for hate crime or hate speech. Instead, a hate motive may lead to tougher sentencing. The current monitoring system uses police crime reports to track suspected incidents based on motive.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
