According to Finnish police, the country has seen an unprecedented rise in cases of domestic violence during the pandemic. While current restrictions have resulted in fewer outbreaks of violent behaviour in public spaces, physical violence within the home has taken a darker turn, with increasing instances of aggravated assault and even homicide.
In a recent press release, National Police Board Chief Superintendent Ari Järvenpää stated that the police were called to respond to approximately 14,400 more cases of domestic emergencies compared to last year and nearly 18,000 more cases of domestic disturbance or disruptive behaviour.
Police expected a decline in alcohol-related crime due to the lockdown; however, there was a steady increase in offenses such as intoxication, disorderly conduct and drunk driving. Reports of alcohol-related crimes grew by 16 per cent in January–September this year compared to 2019.
The total number of drug-related offenses also saw a sharp increase of 32 per cent during the same period compared to the previous year.
Tahira Sequeira
Helsinki Times
