Many acts of domestic violence are crimes
A crime refers to an act or omission that is punishable by law. Many domestic violence incidents meet the characteristics of the crime.
It is important to note that legal professionals may more accurately provide the specific legal definitions and consequences of crimes and illegal threats, e.g. Victim Support Finland (RIKU) provides legal advice telephone service.
Assault: Physical violence or unlawful threats are crimes. This may include punching, kicking or other forms of physical attack. Mental abuse can also be punishable by law.
Sexual crimes: Sexual abuse or rape is a crime, even if the perpetrator is in a close relationship with the victim. Forcing a sexual act or sexual abuse is also a crime.
Deprivation of liberty: Depriving another person of his liberty against his will is a crime. For example, locking a person behind bars or holding them by force can be a coercive measure.
Damage: Deliberately destroying or damaging another's property can fulfil the characteristics of a crime.
Unlawful threat: Verbally or with a weapon, threatening another person's life or health with a crime is a crime.
Stealing: Taking another person's property without permission is a crime, even if the perpetrator is in a close relationship with the victim.
Trespassing: It is an offence to disturb another person's domestic peace without proper permission, for example, by entering another person's home without permission. In addition to the apartments, cottages, hotel rooms, mobile homes, toilets, washing facilities and other facilities comparable to apartments are also considered to be included in the scope of home peace.
Eavesdropping: filming or eavesdropping on another person without permission is also a crime.
The Criminal Code defines illegal threats as actions that explicitly threaten someone with violence, serious harm or other harmful consequences that cause fear or anxiety to the threatened person.
A criminal offence means the police can only investigate a crime if the victim demands punishment. Such crimes can be defamation or minor payment instrument fraud, such as the unauthorized use of a partner's bank card. Likewise, the prosecutor can only file charges if the victim demands punishment. In some crimes involving interested parties, the police can investigate, and the prosecutor can charge if the public interest requires it.
If the victim decides to withdraw his penalty claim during the investigation, the police will stop the investigation.
A crime subject to official prosecution means that the prosecutor can bring charges even if the person concerned (the victim of the crime) does not demand punishment. Even mild abuse in a close relationship is included in such crimes. It doesn't matter if the crime happened at home, in another private or public space.
The police can investigate these crimes, and the prosecutor can prosecute and seek punishment against the perpetrator, regardless of the victim's consent. Such crimes include, in addition to assault, stalking, rape or illegal threats. The prosecutor may file a charge of negligent deprivation of liberty, illegal threat or coercion only if the person concerned reports the crime to be prosecuted, or a life-threatening instrument was used to commit the coercion or illegal threat, or if a very important public interest requires the filing of a charge.
