Danish Sex Claim 'pure Bluff' (Press, 23 July 1977)
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Summary: Danish Sex Claim 'pure Bluff' (Press, 23 July 1977)
The president of a Danish anti-pornography organisation, S. A. Laursen, has vehemently rejected claims that sex crimes have decreased in Denmark since the abolition of censorship. Laursen leads L.I.B.E.R. (an acronym that stands for an organisation opposed to the indoctrination of children) and is currently on a speaking tour in New Zealand, sponsored by the Society for the Promotion of Community Standards. He addressed a public meeting in Christchurch, chaired by the city's mayor, H. G. Hay. Denmark abolished censorship of written materials in 1967, followed by pictorial materials in 1969. According to Laursen, since this removal, the quality of pornographic literature has deteriorated, focusing now on "perverted" themes such as homosexuality, lesbianism, sadism, and buggery, a stark contrast to the previous emphasis on “normal sexual intercourse” between men and women. He presented statistics claiming that while sex crimes appeared to have decreased, this trend actually began prior to the abolition of censorship, stabilising as various sections of the criminal code were modified. Laursen sarcastically suggested that if Denmark could eliminate all crime simply by repealing existing laws, it would be the first nation to achieve such a feat. One of Laursen's main objectives is to oppose mandatory sex education for schoolchildren, arguing that the promised freedom following censorship removal has now been imposed upon 14 to 16-year-olds. He noted that parents can no longer exempt their children from sex education in schools. Citing a Danish school text titled “Boy, Girl, Man, Woman,” he highlighted its explicit claims about teenage male behaviour, questioning whether such content should be presented to children. Furthermore, Laursen criticised the Danish State Church for its inaction, highlighting the potential for blasphemous teaching materials that unsettle traditional Christian values, such as a book depicting controversial relationships involving Jesus Christ. The meeting also featured contributions from Miss Patricia Bartlett, the national secretary of the Society for the Protection of Community Standards. Resolutions were passed advocating for amendments to the Education Act to allow parents to preview educational materials and to require parental consent for children's participation in sex education classes. Additionally, the assembly sought governmental reviews aimed at ensuring social studies, physical education, and health courses are not used manipulatively. A notable proposal called for the prohibition of contraception education and banned any individual with commercial ties to sex education or contraceptives from teaching in schools.
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