YLE. Coercive control and trafficking: a new challenge for investigators

Yle (23 June 2026) reports on a case in which Oulu police uncovered suspected trafficking across Finland, mostly involving homeless and substance-dependent victims. The perpetrators controlled their victims through coercive control, not physical restraint. They took away phones and payment cards, isolated the victims, and exploited their addictions. Loans of tens of thousands of euros were also taken in the victims’ names, and one victim was left more than €100,000 in debt. The prosecutor says this is the first Finnish trafficking prosecution involving the use of straw persons to commit offences.

Criminal policy: Coercive control is not a standalone offence in Finland, but it can meet the definition of trafficking. A Ministry of Justice report has proposed criminalising it. Julia Korkman considers the proposal sensible, since proving coercive control under current law is harder.

Investigation: Police tend to work through clear offence categories such as fraud or theft, and may miss the exploitation behind them. Interviews that focus on physical restraint (“were you chained or locked in?”) can fail to capture the victim’s daily life and options, and why leaving was not realistic.