Domestic violence rises in 2019

The number of family and intimate-partner-violence offences reported to the authorities increased by seven per cent in 2019 year on year, said the National Institute for Health and Welfare in a press release on Friday.

A total of 10,600 offences involving domestic violence were reported. The most common victims of domestic violence were women aged 25 to 34. The data is based on statistics on criminal offences and coercive measures provided by the Statistics Finland.

THL's newly published statistical report compiles the most important statistics on domestic violence in 2019. The report is published every two years.

More than three quarters of those who experienced domestic violence were women, but there are major differences between the age groups. More than half of the underage people who experienced violence were boys.

“During the past decade, the cases of domestic violence against minors brought to the authorities’ attention have more than doubled,” said THL Development Manager Martta October.

It is important to note that the statistics are based on cases reported to the authorities.

“There is a lot of domestic violence that doesn’t get reported. Over the years, the threshold for reporting may have lowered, which partly explains the increased numbers,” added October.

In 2019, there were a total of 18 intimate-partner homicides, which was less than that in the previous year. According to preliminary investigations, in 80% of the cases where a relationship ended with homicide, the relationship had previously been violent, often over a long period.

“An intimate-partner homicide refers to someone killing the person they are dating or their current or former spouses”, said October.