Joensuu closes steam sauna after year of sex meetups arranged online

Joensuu has shut the steam sauna at its Vesikko swimming hall after a year of men arranging sex meetups there via an anonymous location-based app, city sports director Timo Heinonen told Yle.

The decision came last Friday, following a customer tip that led staff to monitor the situation both online and on-site for the past year. No police report has been filed because the acts had no identifiable victim, Heinonen said.

Messages viewed by Yle show users of the app explicitly arranging meetups at the Vesikko steam sauna, with the latest post appearing last Tuesday. After media coverage, the tone of the messages shifted, with some users condemning the activity.

Heinonen noted that a male attendant’s presence had prevented sexual activity in the sauna itself. He added that similar issues have been reported at other Finnish swimming facilities.

Police confirmed no crime had been committed. “If two adults agree to meet at a swimming hall, even for sex, there’s nothing criminal about it,” said Detective Superintendent Simo Hämäläinen of Eastern Finland Police. He added that charges could apply only if someone felt harassed or if the behavior violated public decency.

The sauna will remain closed at least until the maintenance break ends on 11 August. Recent vandalism, including scratching through frosted glass partitions between the men’s and women’s sections, has also been reported.