Three female police officers report workplace bullying in Finland

Three female police officers in Finland have come forward with experiences of workplace bullying, prompting the National Police Board to investigate whether such incidents disproportionately affect women, Yle reports.

Earlier this month, social media officer Ella Varis resigned, citing persistent bullying, including derogatory comments, exclusion, and gender-based hostility. Following her public account, two other officers—Carita Gröndahl and Ronja Pohjonen—shared similar experiences.

Gröndahl, currently on leave, described being bullied by a colleague early in her career, with the abuse centered on power imbalances. The issue was resolved after she was reassigned a new partner. Pohjonen, on parental leave, reported bullying during her training at the Police University College, including exclusion and mockery, though she noted men were also targeted if they deviated from traditional police stereotypes.

The National Police Board is now reviewing its personnel surveys, which previously did not track gender-specific data on harassment or misconduct. Negotiation Chief Minna Gråsten said the goal is to determine whether younger women are particularly affected.

Police units report harassment cases annually, but recent survey changes prevent direct comparisons with past data. Gråsten noted that overall levels of reported misconduct appear stable.

Police University College officials encourage students to report bullying early, stating all cases are addressed.