Karen Pallesgaard Munk

Fear of child sex abuse: Consequences for childcare personnel in Denmark

Case reports indicate that fear of child sex abuse (CSA) – in the media and among laypeople called “paedophilia” – is emerging in Denmark. In this study, the hypothesis that the fear of CSA has consequences for childcare personnel, in general, and for male personnel especially is investigated. In spring 2010, we made a cross-sectional survey of a representative sample of staff in childcare institutions and a randomly selected non-matched control group of citizens outside childcare institutions, aged between 18 and 70 years. All groups were asked about their thoughts about the risk of being accused of “paedophilia”, about their suspicions against others and whether they had changed their behaviour towards children. The childcare staff were also asked whether they had considered leaving their profession. The results show a current tendency of shift to a suspicious perception of men and to an increasingly distant attitude towards children among both the childcare professionals and the control group. This suggests that the fear of CSA in Danish society has consequences for the professional care of children.

Late-life Depression

Late-life depression is a complicated disorder with diagnostic and treatment pitfalls due to interference of serious social and somatic conditions of life in old age and often due to an “atypical” profile of symptoms. The article treats the nature of these difficulties and discusses the concept of depression. Old age is treated from two different angles: from the perspective of normality and pathology related to depressive symptomatology. It is concluded that late-life depression is a field demanding extended somatic knowledge by the psychotherapist. It is also concluded that even though the last decades have brought much clarification, there are still unanswered questions especially related to causal mechanisms.

Children’s Doctor Games and Nudity at Danish Childcare Institutions

AbstractThis article presents the first Danish study of the acceptance of children’s nudity and sexuality at Danish childcare institutions. The study revealed an important cultural shift in the attitude toward children’s nudity and sexual games, the so-called doctor games. Although these were quite accepted at Danish childcare institutions until the beginning of this century, the study showed that new, pervasive regulations had been established to control the child’s body and its sexuality. A new discourse revealed that fear of child sexual abuse, in particular, had influenced views of children’s sexual games and nudity and that, at times, the child itself was viewed as a potential threat to other children. This marks a new development in Denmark, internationally known for its broadmindedness, and this article discusses the background to this cultural shift in the institutions, and possible implications for the children.