Abstract
This 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.
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Notes
The study is called The Guideline Study 2012, in Danish, Retningslinjeundersøgelsen 2012. For a report on the study in Danish, see Leander, Munk, and Larsen (2013).
BUPL informed us that until 2008 they did not regularly keep track of this type of conviction.
FOA informed us that until 2012 they did not keep track of this type of conviction.
In Denmark, children begin elementary school at the age of 6.
In Denmark, crèches are for children aged approximately 0–3 years, and kindergartens are for children aged approximately 3–6 years.
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Funding
The research study presented in this article was funded by “The SL and BUPL Funds for Development and Research.” SL is the Danish Union of Social Educators, and BUPL is the Danish Union of Early Childhood and Youth Educators.
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In Denmark, Ph.D. candidates hold a position with a salary. Else-Marie Buch Leander’s current Ph.D. position is partially funded by “The BUPL Funds for Research.” BUPL is the Danish Union of Early Childhood and Youth Educators. The other part of Else-Marie Buch Leander’s Ph.D. position is financed by Aarhus University.
Informed Consent
We state that no children took part in the survey. We state that no participants were asked to give information about their name. All individual participants therefore were anonymous to the researchers as the survey was sent to the childcare institutions, and the participants answered the survey electronically at their institutions or at their homes. We only have information about the participating institutions, and this information stays strictly confidential and will never be disclosed to other than the researchers. In Denmark, a survey as here described does not require informed consent from the participants, nor does it require approval from an ethical committee. We therefore state that our study is in accordance with all national and international guidelines for research without personally identifiable information.
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Leander, EM.B., Larsen, P.L. & Munk, K.P. Children’s Doctor Games and Nudity at Danish Childcare Institutions. Arch Sex Behav 47, 863–875 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-017-1144-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-017-1144-9