The Godhavn inquiry was an investigation into child abuse in
Danish
Danish may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark
People
* A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark
* Culture of Denmark
* Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish ance ...
children's homes between 1945 and 1976. After a documentary was released in 2005 alleging abuse in children's homes, a group of survivors lobbied for the
Danish government
The Cabinet of Denmark ( da, regering) has been the chief executive body and the government of the Kingdom of Denmark since 1848. The Cabinet is led by the Prime Minister. There are around 25 members of the Cabinet, known as "ministers", all of wh ...
to investigate their experiences. The inquiry began in 2009; while it initially investigated the conditions only of the , it ultimately probed 18 others, and heard the testimony of 99 caregivers and staff. The report, which validated claims of forcible medication and poor treatment, was released on 9 May 2011.
Background
In 2005, the documentary ''Drengehjemmet'' by
Rikke Skov
Rikke Erhardsen Skov (born 7 September 1980) is a former Danish team handball player and Olympic champion. She received a gold medal with the Danish national team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.Bjørn Elmquist, a member for parliament, said one of these drugs was LSD, which was used to stop
bedwetting
Nocturnal enuresis, also informally called bedwetting, is involuntary urination while asleep after the age at which bladder control usually begins. Bedwetting in children and adults can result in emotional stress. Complications can include urina ...
.
Following the documentary, the Landsforeningen Godhavnsdrengene (National Association of the Godhavn's Boys) was formed. It lobbied for an investigation into their experiences.
Inquiry and report
The government-funded inquiry into abuse at the Godhavn Boys' Home began in 2009, after several demands by the Godhavn boys. It investigated the Godhavn boys' allegations that they were subjected to neglect and medicating against their will. While the inquiry initially investigated only the Godhavn Boys' Home, it ultimately investigated 19 homes from 1945 to 1976. It included the testimony of 85 caregivers and 14 staff members of children's homes.
The report was published on 9 May 2011, concurrently with an exhibition for the Danish welfare museum. The report validated the claims of the Godhavn boys, saying residents of Danish children's homes were subjected to abuse and experimental medication, as well as saying the government had little control over the institutions. In the case of Godhavn Boys' Home, some 22 percent of the residents were given medication by Ostenfeld. These included
antipsychotic
Antipsychotics, also known as neuroleptics, are a class of Psychiatric medication, psychotropic medication primarily used to manage psychosis (including delusions, hallucinations, paranoia or disordered thought), principally in schizophrenia but ...
flupentixol
Flupentixol (INN), also known as flupenthixol (former BAN), marketed under brand names such as Depixol and Fluanxol is a typical antipsychotic drug of the thioxanthene class. It was introduced in 1965 by Lundbeck. In addition to single drug prep ...
amphetamine
Amphetamine (contracted from alpha- methylphenethylamine) is a strong central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy, and obesity. It is also commonly used ...
. His most commonly-used drug to treat bedwetting was the antipsychotic
chlorprothixene
Chlorprothixene, sold under the brand name Truxal among others, is a typical antipsychotic of the thioxanthene group.
Medical uses
Chlorprothixene's principal indications are the treatment of psychotic disorders (e.g. schizophrenia) and of acu ...
, which was neither the standard drug of choice among child psychiatrists, nor was it supported by contemporary evidence. After subjecting the children to the treatment, he published his findings in medical research journals, including the ''
Journal of the Danish Medical Association
The Danish Medical Association (DADL) is a medical professional association in Denmark. It has a membership of 21,800, and is affiliated with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. Since 1954, it has published the medical journal ...
''; in the 1960s, large-scale investigations into chlorprothixene for bedwetting were conducted, and general practitioners began to use it. His use of flupentixol preceded the first child experiment of the drug by almost a decade. The inquiry did not judge his actions illegal.
Aftermath
After the report was published,
Benedikte Kiær
Benedikte Kiær (born 10 December 1969) is a Danish politician. From 2010 to 2011 she was Minister of Social Affairs in Lars Løkke Rasmussen's cabinet. She belongs to the Conservative People's Party.
Kiær has degrees in chemistry and politi ...
, the Danish minister for social affairs, refused to apologise. She said the "government cannot apologize for something that happened so many years ago", while also acknowledging that the report was accurate, and that the conditions of the children's homes were substandard. In response to Kiær's refusal to apologise in either her initial statements or in a parliamentary hearing, the Godhavn boys threatened to start a lawsuit against the government.
In 2019, the Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, met with victims of abuse in Denmark's children's homes and apologised to them. Despite the publication of the report, there were no subsequent prosecutions related to the care provided in children's homes.