Case 341: The Christchurch Civic Creche

**SPEAKER_1** (0:13)
Our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents. If you feel at any time you need support, please contact your local crisis centre. For suggested phone numbers for confidential support, and for a more detailed list of content warnings, please see the show notes for this episode on your app, or on our website. This episode features distressing subject matter pertaining to the sexual abuse of children. It will not be suitable for all listeners. The names of several witnesses have been changed.
In November of 1976, The Christchurch Civic Creche on the South Island of New Zealand opened its doors for the first time, and welcomed in children aged from 18 months to 5 years old. As an increasing number of women in New Zealand were returning to work after having children, there was a growing demand for early childhood education centres like the Civic Creche. Located in the heart of the city, the Creche was a collaborative undertaking by the City Council and the Christchurch Technical Institute. Over the next decade and a half, the Creche became so popular that parents would add their babies' names to a waiting list upon birth in the hopes they would be accepted when they were old enough to attend. It was particularly popular with parents who worked in the many non-profit organizations that were based nearby, and the Creche attracted families who tended to be middle class professionals with politically liberal attitudes. It was open between 7.30am and 5pm Monday to Friday and could take children on either a part or full day basis. A brochure published in 1989 described the Civic Creche as providing quality child care for children from many different racial, cultural, social and economic backgrounds. A full range of stimulating and creative activities are offered with a special extension program for the four year olds. The Creche's central location meant that educators could take children on excursions to the botanical gardens, the Avon River, a local wildlife park, the Town Hall and other Christchurch attractions. Children participated in both free play and more structured activities, and they had a Taha Māori program to teach the children about New Zealand's indigenous culture. Every week, the Creche highlighted a different theme, which was determined by the staff members at their monthly meetings. By 1991, there were 11 permanent staff that ranged in age from 20 to 53 All had at least one qualification that enabled them to work there. The Creche's supervisor was Gay Davidson, who had a reputation for being kind and approachable. On Wednesday, November 20, 1991, Gay was contacted by the mother of a three-year-old who attended the Creche. The mother said that she suspected her son had been sexually abused by the Creche's only male childcare worker.
The mother, who would later become known by the pseudonym of Ms. Magnolia, informed Gaye Davidson that she would be keeping her son, Jeffrey, not his real name, home from the creche until the male employee was removed. Gaye Davidson immediately leapt into action. She sought advice from the city council administration and paid a visit to the Magnolia family home alongside a council personnel officer that same day. Speaking to Ms. Magnolia and her husband, Gaye received a clear report of what had unfolded. Their three-year-old son, Jeffrey, had been exhibiting troubling behaviour for some time. He could be prone to tantrums, sometimes woke with pain in his legs, and could be fussy about his clothes. Sometimes he didn't want to go to creche. He used the words penis and vagina as insults. Ms. Magnolia had also noticed occasional redness around his anus. About a month earlier, Jeffrey had said to his father, I don't like Peter's black penis. Peter seemed to refer to Peter Ellis, the male childcare worker at Jeffrey's creche, but 33-year-old Peter wasn't black. Jeffrey's father asked if he'd seen Peter's penis or was he just telling a story? Jeffrey answered the latter, so his father dropped the subject. But Jeffrey made a similar remark to his mother on Sunday November 17 while having a bath. Like her husband, Ms. Magnolia probed Jeffrey with follow-up questions. Again, Jeffrey said he hadn't seen Peter's penis. On Tuesday November 19, Jeffrey told his grandmother that he didn't want to go to creche that day because he didn't like Peter's black penis. By now, Ms. Magnolia was highly concerned. She herself was a survivor of sexual abuse and was now a social worker who had written a handbook on the subject. Her son's repeated comments combined with his sometimes troubling behaviour suggested he may have been the victim of abuse.
That night, she questioned Jeffrey again. Will you tell me what happened with Peter and his penis? She asked. No, I won't, said Jeffrey. Did Peter hurt you? No. Did Peter scare you? Yes. Jeffrey told his mother he didn't want to go to creche anymore, but he'd go if Peter was no longer there. Then his mother asked. Was Peter's penis scary? It was darky scary, Jeffrey said. If Peter came to this house, he would be a monster. If he was a monster and he was here, you'd be asleep, mum, in your bed, and you'd wake up and see the monster, and you'd be surprised.