Number of sexual offences raises in Jan-Sep

A total of 980 rapes were recorded from January to September this year, which was 56 cases (6.1%) higher than the stipulated period of 2017, according to Statistics Finland.

The recorded number of sexual abuses of a child was 1,005, which is 16.1 per cent more than in January to September of the previous year. In addition, 775 other sexual offences were reported, of which 387 were cases of sexual harassment.

Compared with January to September 2017, the cases of sexual harassment increased by 80 cases (26.1 per cent). The recorded numbers of rapes and sexual abuses of a child reported to the authorities vary much yearly. Individual reports of an offence may include a series of incidents comprising several criminal acts.

A total of 639,800 offences were recorded by the police, customs and border guard in January to September 2018, which was 22,900 cases (3.5%) fewer than in 2017.

In all, 6.1 per cent more rapes and 26.1 per cent more cases of sexual harassment were reported than in the year before.

During January to September 2018, a total of 17,800 frauds (fraud, petty fraud, aggravated fraud were recorded, which is 2.6 per cent more than in the year before.

The number of robberies recorded was 1,300, which is 4.6 per cent up from January to September 2017. Of robberies, 216 were aggravated. A total of 560 embezzlements and aggravated embezzlements were reported, which is 45.5 per cent more than in January to September 2017, when exceptionally few of them were reported.

A total of 92,100 theft offences (theft, aggravated theft, petty theft) were reported, which is 5,000 cases (5.1 per cent) fewer than in January to September 2017.

The number of drunken driving was 14,200 in January to September 2018, which is 6.0 per cent up from the corresponding period in 2017.