There is widespread concern in the community that children are being exposed to and involved in the adult world before they are ready for it. Advertising and marketing for children has been questioned when it promotes premature sexualisation both in products for children or the use of children in products for adults.<\/p>\n
The issue of the sexualisation of children has arisen largely through the use of images in which children are presented as being sexually precocious beyond their years. There is a concern that such images are pandering (or can pander) to those depraved aspects of adult sexuality that find their blackest expression in paedophilia and the sexual abuse of minors. There is the added worry of the effect on the child’s social and emotional development.<\/p>\n
Recent advertising and marketing aimed at children has led to objections to some adult products, such as bras or G-string underwear for girls, being marketed for children. Likewise there is an unease over advertising showing children in adult poses or engaging in adult behaviour. Magazines marketed to pre-pubescent girls give, under the guise of advice about boyfriends, sexual advice and present an emphasis on body image as the means to happiness and success.<\/p>\n
Worryingly, what the media present as suitable for children is affecting the emotional and sexual development of children. According to the Australian Psychological Society, the values implicit in sexualised images are that physical appearance and beauty are intrinsic to self-esteem and social worth, and that sexual attractiveness is a part of childhood experience. Referring to the cognitive effects of exposure to an array of sexualising images, the APS<\/span> said “Girls learn to see and think of their bodies as objects of others’ desire, to be looked at and evaluated for its appearance.” They found that research links to sexualisation to three of the most common mental health problems of girls and women: eating disorders, low self-esteem, and depression.<\/p>\n The issue of the sexualisation of children in Australia was highlighted in the 2006 report “Corporate paedophilia – sexualising children by advertising and marketing” by the Australia Institute. The report condemns directly sexualising content in “tween” magazines such as Bratz Magazine, Total Girl, and Girl Power. “The extension of this genre of magazine to younger ages reflects…their earlier association into the popularised teenage world of fashion, sex and pop starts. Girls are also encouraged to view men and boys as sexual objects. “<\/p>\n In local 7-Elevens, Zoo Weekly and Australian Penthouse Magazines featuring digitally perfected and barely clad cover models are shelved at children’s eye level. The Australia Institute argues that these kinds of adult images and references sexualise children indirectly, and contribute to eating disorders, negative body image, depression, sexual violence toward women and children, opposite sex objectification and lowered academic performance.<\/p>\n Dr Gordon Moyes said, “The sexual imagery of children is found in all media forms in our society. This places young people in very vulnerable positions where their bodies are exploited. This has a devastating effect and dire consequences on the mental and physical health of our children. Our young people are experiencing a media environment that is increasingly violent, commercialised, and sexualised. The concept of innocence should be restored.”<\/p>\n Growing up fast and furious: Reviewing the impacts of violent and sexualised media on children<\/em> is an important and timely conference reviewing issues with great significance for Australian children’s health and wellbeing. Three of the most highly respected international researchers will be reviewing the evidence on media violence: Professor Rowell Huesmann on the long term impacts of violent media, Professor Ed Donnerstein on internet violence and cyber bullying, and Distinguished Research Professor Craig Anderson on violent video games.<\/p>\n They will be joined by Australian academics such as Professor Louise Newman on the sexualisation of children, Dr Wayne Warburton on violent music videos, Dr Cordelia Fine on children’s understanding of advertising, and Professor Elizabeth Handsley on the role of regulation and classification. This is almost certainly the most powerful selection of experts across a range of crucial media issues ever assembled for such a seminar in Australia.<\/p>\n The details of the conference are as follows: Friday 19 March 2010, 9am to 5pm. It will be held at the NSW <\/span>Teachers Federation Conference Centre, located in 37 Reservoir Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010<\/span>. For more information visit: www.youngmedia.org.au <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" There is widespread concern in the community that children are being exposed to and involved in the adult world before they are ready for it. Advertising and marketing for children has been questioned when it promotes premature sexualisation both in products for children or the use of children in products for adults. 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