Ombudsman criticizes male security personnel for treatment of women aboard Baltic Princess in Finland

The Ombudsman, Petri Jääskeläinen, has criticized the actions of male security personnel aboard the Tallink Silja vessel Baltic Princess. During an inspection mandated by the Ombudsman, it was found that male security guards had stripped detained women naked in two separate instances. This stripping occurred due to the women’s self-destructive behavior, which involved the use of their clothing. The Ombudsman noted that the guards’ actions in undressing the women did not fully uphold the detained individuals’ rights to dignified treatment. The women were left naked in a holding area without being provided with appropriate attire for the situation. One of the women was allegedly left completely naked for a period and without any covering.

Additionally, the male security guards conducted the strip searches despite regulations from the Ministry of the Interior, which mandate that the guard performing such searches should be of the same gender as the individual being searched if the individual must remove clothing beyond outerwear. The Ombudsman emphasized that such treatment can be perceived as humiliating and dehumanizing.

However, the Ombudsman also acknowledged that the actions of the security personnel could be understood within the context of the challenging situations they faced, which largely involved instances of emergency as defined by criminal law. Notably, there were no female security personnel on board, and the vessel was inadequately equipped for such scenarios, thereby limiting available procedures.

The Ombudsman concluded that it is the shipping company’s responsibility to adequately prepare for various emergencies and to ensure that safe clothing and bedding are available for individuals exhibiting self-destructive behavior. He has requested a report from the company by the end of January on the measures taken in response to this decision.