Finnish parties back law to criminalise coercive control and boost domestic violence prevention

The Equality Affairs Negotiating Committee surveyed all eight parliamentary parties and recorded full support for introducing a criminal offence that covers coercive control, a form of sustained psychological abuse that restricts a victim's freedom and autonomy. The parties also agreed on legislation requiring systematic risk assessments for intimate-partner violence and on clarifying the duties of local governments and wellbeing regions in violence prevention.

Maaret Castrén, chair of the committee, said the next parliamentary term must turn this broad political consensus into concrete law. Taina Riski, the committee's secretary, warned that without sufficient budget allocations the new obligations could remain ineffective. While six parties backed a national investigative body for intimate-partner homicides, Keskusta and Perussuomalaiset opposed that specific proposal. The overall consensus reflects a strong political will to enhance protection for victims and to allocate resources for prevention efforts.