The Finnish Government convened to discuss sexual crimes against children

At the meeting, the Government heard a situation report by National Police Commissioner Seppo Kolehmainen on sexual crime targeting minors and the incidents in Oulu and Helsinki. The problem is very extensive, and especially the numbers of children and young people contacted via the internet are growing. This is why internet policing must be a high priority for the Finnish police.

Sexual abuse associated one way or the other with the internet has become a common phenomenon, and only a small proportion of the incidents are reported to the police.

Precautionary measures with respect to schools, youth work and social welfare are being prepared by a working group composed of Permanent Secretaries of three ministries (Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and Ministry of Education and Culture). The responsibility for the set of measures, to be completed by mid-February, rests with the ministerial working group on internal security headed by Minister of the Interior Kai Mykkänen.

The Government has also examined the situation of asylum seekers who have received a negative decision on their asylum application. More efficient action to enhance returns are needed especially concerning Iraq. This is where Finland turns to the European Commission, and in future negotiations will be held with countries facing a similar situation.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs will look into the international agreements to consider whether amendments to these would enable better management and control of the immigration policy.

The action plan on asylum policy with updated measures, adopted by the Government in 2015, on the Government website (in Finnish).

The action programme on violence against girls and women, prepared under the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, on the website of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.

Inquiries: Päivi Anttikoski, Director of Government Communications, tel. +358 40 536 4821.