Culture

Men Chafe at Predator Stereotype

Weird assumptions make life difficult for men around children

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"The stereotype is that men are predators who are looking for opportunities to abuse young children," says d'Arcy, who is co-ordinator of a Mullumbimby preschool and has six children of his own. "There seems to be that automatic assumption."

Most of the 2900 men who make their living caring for under-fives butt up against these assumptions regularly in a way that their 100,000-plus female counterparts do not, he says.

"It's a very common story," d'Arcy says.