Solidarity or clientization?
An examination of the ideology
and structure of the Danner House (2000).

Written by Britta Mogensen & Sissel Lea Nielsen.

(The original title is “Solidaritet eller klientgørelse? En undersøgelse af Dannerhusets ideologi og struktur”).

Since The Countess Danner’s House was occupied by a group of women in 1979 it has functioned as a woman’s centre and crisis centre for battered women. Despite two decades of committed women’s politics, violence against women is still a problem in Denmark and the need for more crisis centres is of paramount importance.

In the book the development of the ideology and structure of the Danner House is introduced and discussed in the context of the more general change the crisis centre movement has undergone. As the title indicates the authorsoffer a critique of the seemingly transformation from solidarity with battered women to clientization. It is examined how this transformation is influenced by both internal changes in structure and ideology and changes in the society at large.

The authors also discuss the growing number of battered ethnic minority women who seek refuge in crisis centres, how their integration into the Danish society through interaction with Danish battered women is furthered, rights of children of battered mothers and different approaches to violent men.

Besides women working in crisis centres, the target group are persons working with battered women and their children such as nurses, medical doctors, social workers, lawyers and the police.

Renate Klein, Ph.D.
University of Maine
330A Merrill Hall
Orono, ME 04469 USA
Phone: 1.207.581.3149
Fax: 1.207.581.3120
E-mail: rklein(AT)maine.edu