Outrage over Sønderborg abuse case

There is widespread political outrage in the wake of the Sønderborg and Brønderslev cases, where one or more children have been removed from the home after years of abuse.

The Minister for Social Affairs calls the cases "incomprehensible", while Socialdemokratiet is prepared to use state funds when municipalities remove children from the home.

On Thursday, daily newspaper JydskeVestkysten revealed that a man and a woman from South Jutland have been remanded in custody for months for sexually abusing their 16-year old daughter and some of their other children.

Police did not divulge much concerning the case, which has proceeded in an in camera court session.

- I can confirm that we have been involved in a case along those lines, head of the local police in Sønderborg, Preben Westh, news agency Ritzau.

S: Zero growth hurts children
According to Socialdemokratiet, the government's plans for zero growth in the municipal economy hurts children who need special care and attention.

- It is my opinion that the state should help the municipalities take early action. Today, we are seeing fewer removals from the home towards the end of the year, when municipal coffers are empty. We should change this situation by implementing a state-run reimbursement scheme on the field of removals from the home, so that we reimburse a larger percentage of the cost in cases of early removal and less in cases of late removal, Mette Frederiksen, Socialdemokratiet spokesman on social affairs, writes in a comment.

Minister: incomprehensible
Newly appointed Minister for Social Affairs, Benedikte Kiær (Konservative) has had several cases involving sexual abuse of children land on her desk lately. And she wants there to be consequences if the municipalities don't take timely action.

- It is incomprehensible that, ostensibly, years have gone by before the municipality took action on reports of violence against, and sexual abuse of, children, if the realities really are the way they have been reported on TV2 television news, Benedikte Kiær said according to Ritzau.

The Minister wants a full report before Thursday, March 11^th, and she also wants a meeting with Local Government Denmark.

- What is the point of having clear-cut rules governing help for children at risk if these rules aren't implemented by the municipalities? asks Benedikte Kiær.

Translated by Martin Lamberth