Hate crime refers to an offence that is motivated by prejudice or hostility towards the victim’s actual or assumed sexual orientations, gender identity, gender expression and or sex characteristics. Hate crimes are also motivated by prejudice or hostility towards sexual or gender minorities in general as they form a community (kansanryhmä). A hate crime motive may be grounds for a harsher sentence to be imposed.
Hate speech can be a crime under the Criminal Code of Finland, discrimination under the Non-Discrimination Act or the Gender Equality Act, or an otherwise hostile utterance. Defamation and ethnic agitation (including gender and sexual minorities) are punishable offences under the the Criminal Code of Finland.
The term hate speech covers all forms of expression which spread, incite, promote or justify hatred based on intolerance, discrimination and hostility against minorities like gay or trans people. Hate speech can be written, gestures, pictures, symbols, music, illustrations or videos.
Report hate crimes, hate speech and discrimination!
Report a crime to police. It´s important that you tell the police everything about the offence. Tell that you assume the perpetrator had a hate motive. It´s important that you tell about the hate motive because a harsher sentence to be imposed because of it.
In case of defamation, illegal threat or incitement to racial or ethnic hatred report a crime to police.
Contact ombudsman for equality if you have experienced discrimination or harassment based on factual or assumed gender identity, expression of gender or sex characteristics.
Contact non-discrimination ombudsman if you have experienced other than work-related discrimination or harassment based on factual or assumed sexual orientation, form of family/relationships or the fact that you are an active defender of LGBTIQA+ rights.
Contact your employer and occupation safety personnel or your trade union if you have experienced discrimination or harassment at a workplace based on factual or assumed sexual orientation or form of family/relationships. If actions against discrimination or harassment aren’t taken contact the Regional State Administrative Agencies (AVI).
Contact ombudsman of parliament if you have experienced discrimination, harassment or neglecting the secure of fundamental or human rights by the public authority (public officer, office holder).
Report online hate speech to the maintance of the server. You can also contact the police if you suspect that hate speech reaches the limits of a crime.
Report media hate speech to the editor in chief or to the number or address provided in the webside of the media.
Seta does not offer counselling or legal advice. However, you can report your experience to Seta via this form (choose form in English under language menu). The information helps us to influence politicians and the authorities such as the police.
Support
Victims of hate crime can receive support and advice from the Crime Victim Support Center. Via Crime Victim Support Center you can be, for example, given a support person. If necessary, an interpreter is used. You can contact the crime victim hotline by phone or on the web.
Seta´s Gender Diversity & Intersex Centre of Expertise offers personal counseling and peer support for transgender people, intersex people and people who are considering their gender and their relatives.
The Center for Family Relationships increases the well-being of LGBTIQA+ people’s family relationships by organizing peer support activities that support family relationships, offer professional support to people in particularly difficult family situations, and produce information to support family relationships.
The Sinuiksi service offers support to people who belong to sexual minorities and gender minorities, people who are considering about their identity and their relatives as well as professionals.