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Felm Requests Reports of Possible Past Abuse 

Felm (The Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission) is requesting information through various reporting channels about possible abuse of children and other forms of mistreatment in the organization’s past. Reports will be handled by an independent panel of experts. 

Felm logo

The background to the collection of information is the emergence of suspicions that there may be matters in Felm’s past that have not come to its attention or that have not been fully investigated. Incidents previously known to have taken place at the Felm’s boarding school in Taiwan during the 1970s–1990s caused significant harm to several children and young people, as well as to their loved ones. Felm and the police attempted to investigate these events. No individual has ever been charged or convicted in relation to the case. 

A possibility has now emerged that there may have been more irregularities and misconduct than previously known. According to Felm Executive Director Pauliina Parhiala, Felm’s work cannot be subject to secrets — not even when they concern events in the past. 

“It has been brought to my attention that people involved in our work, especially children, may have been subjected to abuse in the past to a greater extent than previously known.  We cannot change the past, but I hope that each person can be heard and met with respect in their own case. An independent panel of experts will process the reports submitted through the reporting channels and advise Felm on how we should proceed with any contacts we may receive,” Parhiala states. 

“On my own behalf and on behalf of Felm, I wish to offer my sincere apology to all those who, in the Felm’s activities or in the name of missionary work, have in any way been subjected to an abuse of power or mistreatment,” Parhiala says. 

It is possible to contact the reporting channels either by name or anonymously. Reports are welcomed throughout 2026 from both Finland and Felm’s areas of operation. Should any matters involving potential criminal offences arise, they will be referred to the police for investigation.  

The members of the independent panel of experts responsible for reviewing the reports are Attorney-at-law Riitta Leppiniemi, Licentiate of Social Sciences Maria Kaisa Aula, University Lecturer and Doctor of Philosophy Seija Jalagin, and Archbishop Emeritus and Doctor of Theology Kari Mäkinen, who has been appointed Chair of the panel.  Felm will not comment on any personal details or disclose the identities of victims at any stage. The expert panel will publish its final report, including recommendations arising from it to Felm no later than January 2027. 

Over the past decades, Felm has strengthened its safeguarding practices, particularly in relation to child protection. Open communication, transparency, the possibility and obligation to report any activities that violate established guidelines, as well as proactive internal monitoring and oversight, form the foundation of Felm’s work. All Felm employees and partners in countries of operation are bound by a comprehensive code of conduct, compliance with which is actively monitored. An external body most recently reviewed the implementation of Felm’s child protection guidelines in spring 2025. 

Further information: 

Pauliina Parhiala
Executive Director, Felm (Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission)
pauliina.parhiala@suomenlahetysseura.fi
Tel. +358 40 8201 996 

How to Report Past Abuse 

    • Email: yhteydenotto@felm.org 
    • Telephone: +358 40 1683 571
      Calls are answered on Tuesdays from 1:00–4:00 pm (Finnish time). 
    • Text message: +358 40 1683 571
      Messages are processed only on Tuesdays from 1:00–4:00 pm (Finnish time). Please indicate in your message whether you may be contacted. 
    • Online reporting channel:
      • You may also submit a report completely anonymously. 
      • Please save the code provided by the system. It will be needed if you are to be contacted regarding possible follow-up questions. 

 

Questions and Answers

 

Why are you requesting reports of past abuse?

There can be no secrets associated with our work, not even when they concern matters in the past. Based on contacts we have received over the past couple of years, we have come to the conclusion that it is possible that there are still incidents in our past that have not come to the attention of Felm (The Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission), or that have not been fully investigated or addressed. 

Clarifying matters related to the past from today’s vantage point has proven challenging. Neither Felm’s archives nor the information currently available have provided sufficient means to do so. It is important to acknowledge that Felm is not an investigative authority, and that this process cannot produce a comprehensive investigation of Felm’s past. 

We need the public’s help to ensure that any unresolved cases of abuse are brought to our attention and that every victim has the opportunity to be heard. Our foremost objective is to provide potential victims with a channel through which their voices can be acknowledged and their experiences received with the seriousness they deserve. 

 

The press release refers to events at the Taiwan boarding school in past decades. What were these about?  

In the 1990s, Felm received reports expressing concern regarding the wellbeing of young people at a boarding school operating in Taiwan. The boarding school was affiliated with Morrison Academy, and it accommodated children of Felm employees. Concerns had already been raised in the 1980s, and treatment measures for individual young people were initiated in 1993. In 1995 two former residents of the boarding school filed a criminal complaint. Approximately ten young people reported having been victims of criminal acts. However, the police investigation was concluded without results, and no charges were ever brought in the case. 

Felm commissioned an independent review, which concluded that the young people’s symptoms were associated with trauma‑related behaviour and indications of possible abuse. Following the conclusion of the police investigation, an administrative review was initiated based on an appeal. The authorities concluded that the police investigation had not involved such deficiencies or errors that would have warranted further investigation. In relation to the Taiwan case, all legal avenues have been exhausted. 

Felm provided financial assistance to support the treatment of the young people who had lived at the Taiwan boarding school and offered them legal assistance.

How do you view past abuse today?  

Any form of mistreatment of people under Felm’s responsibility—whether children or adults—is completely contrary to Felm’s values. Felm is committed to safeguarding all persons involved in its work, including children and others in particularly vulnerable or marginalized positions, in all circumstances and at all times. Abuse or exploitation directed toward any child or adult is unequivocally reprehensible and firmly condemned. We strive in every way to promote child protection measures and to promote the full realization of children’s rights.  

We are committed to ensuring that all instances of mistreatment or abuse in our past are brought to light, if this has not already happened. Only by doing so can every victim be heard. Our aim is to continue our work based on principles that are clear, transparent, and equitable for all. Past failures must not obstruct our ability—or our responsibility—to support those who need our assistance today.
  

Felm has apologized to those who have experienced abuse in its activities. Is this the first apology offered to those who have experienced mistreatment?    

A clear public apology has not previously been issued, even though Felm has acknowledged its responsibility in the matter. The children and young people concerned were unequivocally under Felm’s responsibility. Issuing an apology is therefore both necessary and justified. It constitutes an act through which full moral responsibility for what occurred is formally recognized. 

We hereby state clearly: we extend our sincere apology to all who have suffered because of missionary work or activities associated with Felm. We are firmly committed to confronting our past and learning from our mistakes so that similar situations can never occur again. We hope that victims of abuse will be heard and that they may find resolution and peace. 

Can supporters of Felm trust that nothing similar will happen in Felm’s work now or in the future? 

Felm’s work has been important and dear for its staff and supporters. The respect, protection, and advancement of human rights constitute the foundation of all our work. Over the decades, this work has achieved lasting impact and contributed to improved living conditions of many people around the world. 

We consistently implement concrete measures, alongside efforts to cultivate an open, dialogical, and accountable organizational culture, to ensure that all individuals involved in our work can feel safe—mentally, physically, and spiritually. We promote practices that enable even the smallest concerns to be raised at the earliest possible stage, and we treat every report brought to our attention with seriousness and diligence. There are no secrets in our operations; openness and transparency are guiding principles that define the way we work.
 

Who do you expect to contact you?  

We welcome contact from anyone who has, in the past, experienced or witnessed inappropriate conduct within Felm’s work, or who possesses information on matters that should be brought to light. We ask people to contact us during the year 2026, both from Finland and from our areas of operation around the world.
 

Through which channels can reports be submitted?  

The available contact channels are: 

  • Email: yhteydenotto@felm.org 
  • Telephone: +358 40 1683 571
    Calls are answered on Tuesdays from 1:00–4:00 pm (Finnish time). 
  • Text message: +358 40 1683 571.
    Messages are processed only on Tuesdays from 1:00–4:00 pm (Finnish time). Please include in your message whether you may be contacted. 
  • Online reporting channel:  
    • You may also submit a report completely anonymously. 
    • Please save the code provided by the system, as it will be needed if you are to be contacted regarding possible follow-up questions. 

  

How are submitted reports handled? 

Felm has established an independent panel of experts to handle reports submitted through the reporting channels. The members of the panel are Attorney-at-law Riitta Leppiniemi, Licentiate of Social Sciences Maria Kaisa Aula, University Lecturer and Doctor of Philosophy Seija Jalagin, and Archbishop Emeritus and Doctor of Theology Kari Mäkinen, who has been appointed Chair of the panel. A representative of Felm supports the work of the panel. 

If the person contacting us provides their name and contact details, they will be contacted. The expert panel advises Felm on how each case should be handled and makes recommendations to Felm regarding actions to be taken. 

Primarily, Felm wishes to hear and meet those who want to share their own experiences. If criminal matters emerge in connection with reports, they will be referred to the police. Felm does not comment on personal details or disclose the identities of victims at any stage. Information about the reporting channels is provided both in Finland and through the Felm’s long-term partners in its former and current countries of operation.

The expert panel will publish a final report on its work and the recommendations arising from it to Felm no later than January 2027. Based on the reports, efforts will also be made to form an overall picture to support the development of current work.
   

What has concretely changed in Felm’s operations compared to previous decades? How is it ensured that similar abuse can no longer occur? 

Felm has assessed its responsibilities, operating practices, and organizational culture, and has reviewed, among other things, its leadership and governance practices. Child protection, the realization of children’s rights, and reporting of abuse have been persistently developed in Felm’s work over recent decades. Concrete measures include, for example: 

  • The practice of housing employees’ children in boarding schools outside the family home was discontinued already in the 1990s.  
  • The following policies and guidelines have been introduced: 
  • Recruitment practices have been developed, and employees, decision-makers, and international partners have been trained. 
  • Oversight systems have been strengthened. For example, Felm has introduced a Visitor’s Code of Conduct, which defines clear rules for short-term visitors to projects, such as volunteers, journalists, and consultants. 
  • An independent review of child protection was most recently conducted in 2025.