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Published: 31 March 2015

Number of victims of violent offences fell by 6.3 per cent

According to Statistics Finland's data, a total of 417,900 offences were recorded in 2014 by the police, customs and border guard in the whole country, which is 6,900 offences (1.6 per cent) fewer than one year before. In all, 263,300 persons were suspected of the 236,700 offences solved in 2014, which is 13,000 (4.7 per cent) lower than one year before. Victims of violent offences recorded numbered 36,700 persons

Assault offences by scene and victim’s sex in 2014 (Total 32,928 offences)

Assault offences by scene and victim’s sex in 2014 (Total 32,928 offences)

Nearly 40 per cent of assault offences were committed in private dwellings. Over one-half of assaults of women and one-quarter of those of men were made in private dwellings. Good 45 per cent of assaults of men and almost one-quarter of those of women took place in a public place. Good ten per cent of assaults were made in restaurants.

Victims of violent offences recorded in 2014 numbered 36,700, which was 6.3 per cent lower than one year earlier. Of the victims, 20,900 (56.9 per cent) were men and 15,800 (43.1 per cent) women. The share of male victims was 8.3 per cent and that of female ones 3.5 per cent lower than in 2013. A total of 32,100 persons were victims of assault offences, 18,900 (58.9 per cent) of them men and 13,200 (41.1 per cent) women. Information on victims is obtained reliably only on certain violent offences.

The typical age of victims of assaults is 18. This age group contained 1,200 (3.7 per cent) of all victims. The age group 18 to 21 comprised 14.0 per cent of the victims of assault offences. In all, 4,500 (14.1 per cent) victims of assaults were aged 50 or over. Assaults of children aged under 18 decreased by 5.7 per cent from the year before. The number of child victims was now 5,000. This is 15.6 per cent of all victims of assault offences. Of child victims of assault offences, 3,200 (64.5 per cent) were boys and 1,800 (35.5 per cent) girls. Of child victims of assault offences, 31.5 per cent of the children belonged to the age group of those aged 0 to 9, 32.1 per cent to those aged 10 to 14, and 36.5 per cent to those aged 15 to 17. Of the 1,200 victims of sexual abuse as a child, 89.2 per cent were girls and 10.8 per cent boys.

Victims of certain offences by age and sex in 2014

Victims of certain offences by age and sex in 2014

From the beginning of 2009, offences recorded by the customs and border guard are also included. The change does not have much effect on the comparability of offences. Of the most common types of offences the change primarily affects the comparability of narcotics offences.

More detailed data on offences reported in 2014 are available in the review published on 31 March 2015 and from the PX-Web database service . The database table describing reported domestic violence and intimate partner violence will be updated in connection with the release of 28 May 2015.


Source: Statistics on offences and coercive measures 2014, Offences reported. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Kimmo Haapakangas 029 551 3252, rikos@stat.fi

Director in charge: Riitta Harala

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Updated 31.3.2015

Referencing instructions:

Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Statistics on offences and coercive measures [e-publication].
ISSN=2342-9178. Reported offences, 1st quarter 2014. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 29.3.2024].
Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/rpk/2014/13/rpk_2014_13_2015-03-31_tie_001_en.html