Nudist Family Erection Accidentally Naturist Family

Nudist Family Erection Accidentally Naturist Family

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Completed inquiries 2008-10

Chapter 3 - Effects of premature sexualisation on child development

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3.1
Term of reference (b) requires the committee to:
...review the evidence on the short- and long-term effects of
viewing or buying sexualising and objectifying images and products and their
influence on cognitive functioning, physical and mental health, sexuality,
attitudes and beliefs...
3.2
The committee emphasises that its analysis of this issue is based on
recognition of the 'important distinction between premature sexualisation and
sexual socialisation—that is, the formation of a healthy sexual identity'. [1]
3.3
A number of experts made submissions or appeared at the hearings to give
evidence about the effects on children of exposure to sexualising and/or
objectifying images or products. Although some types of media were identified
as particularly problematic, [2]
the majority of submissions effectively concerned the cumulative impact of all the
material and information to which children are exposed. SHine SA, for example, offered
a typical observation on the general process or effect of media sexualisation
of children:
TV, Internet, radio, music videos, music lyrics, movies,
magazines, sports media, video-games and advertising increasingly portray
sexualised images which promote narrow and unrealistic ‘standards’ of physical
beauty and sexual interest...Females are more often than males portrayed in a
sexual manner and objectified...Males are raised in a society that glorifies
sexually aggressive masculinity and considers as the norm the degradation of
women. [3]
3.4
Much of the evidence relevant to term of reference (b) thus did not
distinguish between advertising and content produced for/directed at children
and that which is produced for/directed at adults. Indeed, the majority was
concerned with the latter. Narrow or stereotypical portrayals of body type,
beauty and women were commonly identified as the major source of sexualisation
of children. The focus of the committee's consideration of the effects of
sexualisation was therefore on the cumulative effect of this indirect or
'background noise' of sexualising material, as opposed to children's advertising
or content to which they are more directly exposed. Dr Lauren Rosewarne, for
example, who appeared in a private capacity, [4]
presented research which concluded that outdoor advertising in Australia tends
to present women 'in a very homogenous way as young, thin, white and idle'; [5]
and a report by the Women's Forum Australia (WFA) on the female image in
women's magazines found that there is a:
...continual depiction of women as hot, thin, sexy and primarily
Anglo-Saxon. [6]
3.5
The submissions and evidence from the Australian Psychological Society (APS)
explicitly relied on this broader conception or definition of sexualisation. Ms
Amanda Gordon, President of the APS, explained:
...sexualisation, to a psychologist, also means that a person’s
only ascribed value would be their sexuality, their physical sex appeal, to the
exclusion of all other characteristics.
When a person is held to a standard that equates physical
attractiveness with being sexy or when a person is sexually objectified rather
than being seen as a person with a capacity for independent action and decision
making and is made into a thing for others’ sexual use, it is those aspects of
sexualisation that equally concern the Australian Psychological Society... [7]
3.6
The committee encountered a lack of definitive evidence concerning the
media and the effect of premature sexualisation. Many submitters relied on a single
report of the American Psychological Association (APA), which concerns the
sexualisation of girls, on which to base their claims about the media and the harmful
effects of sexualisation on child health and development.
3.7
Despite the American focus of the APA report and the studies it surveys
and references, the committee found its findings to be generally relevant and
useful to the inquiry's terms of reference. Whilst narrow or stereotypical
representations of women are not limited to the media, and can be found in many
aspects of life, the report's findings may be cautiously applied to at least
conclude that some level or preponderance of sexual material in advertising and
media content has the potential to contribute to, and perhaps even cause, emotional
and physical damage to children. On the other hand, it is recognised that the
conclusions and recommendations able to be drawn from the report must be ultimately
constrained by its methodological limitations. As Dr Albury noted:
...the authors acknowledge themselves that most of the research
conducted on the question of whether there is a causal link between media
representation and changes in behaviour has been conducted on women of
university age and older...[The APA itself]...calls for more actual empirical
research to be conducted with girls and so on. [8]
3.8
The committee also considered anecdotal claims that were mainly provided
in private submissions, but which also arose in evidence concerning professional
and expert experiences. These can be characterised as observational, intuitive
or perhaps common-sense claims about how certain material may affect children's
mental and physical health and sexuality.
3.9
It is difficult for such evidence alone to form the basis of
prescriptive or systemic changes to regulation of advertising and media.
However, these observations, perspectives and experiences have legitimately
informed the committee's deliberations and recommendations in later chapters on
improving regulation to afford parents greater control and thus choice over the
material to which their children are exposed.
3.10
Over a third of private submitters identified themselves as parents or
grandparents concerned that their children and grandchildren are being subject
to sexualisation by the media. A frequently expressed sentiment in private
submissions received from parents and others was concern over the loss of
childhood innocence due to premature sexualisation:
Childhood is a time of joy and innocence, and this should be an
absolute right for all our children. They become adults soon enough, and
childhood is a time to be cherished. [9]
3.11
Submitters frequently equated 'innocence' with a form of right allowing
children to grow up free of adult concerns and to mature at their own pace:
[Young people]...have the right of innocence and should be allowed
to mature at their own rate and not forced upon [sic] by media outlets,
advertisers or designers. [10]
3.12
Private submissions generally assumed that premature sexualisation of
children exposes children to the risk of 'psychological damage' [11]
and emotional, developmental and physical or sexual harm. [12]
A typical comment was:
You only need to look at the 13-23yrs age group now to see what
a damning effect the last 10 yrs of media's sexual influences have done. They
are sexually out of control and seem to have no boundaries...I'm dreading the
outcome in another 10 yrs. [13]
3.13
At least one submission pointed to a lack of consensus on the harmful
effects of sexualisation of children, but suggested nevertheless that '[the
effects] are not likely to be positive'. [14]
3.14
Objectification of women and individuals was raised as an issue of great
concern to many private submitters, who felt that the abundance of sexual
images and messages in the media encourages a view of women as sexual objects
to be valued primarily for their appearance and sexual availability or
willingness. Many writers, either implicitly or explicitly, drew a comparison
with, or connection between, contemporary media standards and pornography. [15]
3.15
Low self esteem and problems with self image and emotional development
were widely thought to be the result of premature sexualisation. [16]
Increasing rates of eating disorders in both girls and boys were regularly
cited as being due to the sexualisation of children, which was said to
encourage children to consider weight and body image more generally as
important. [17]
3.16
The decreasing age of children participating in sexual activity, as well
as promiscuity more generally, were often raised in private submissions. [18]
3.17
In clinical or scientific terms, the committee observes that there is a
lack of evidence of the effect of early exposure to sexual themes and images on
children's development and that it is, consequently, not well understood.
Despite the relatively broad range of research cited or alluded to, there is no
definitive understanding of how child development is affected by early exposure
to sexual imagery and concepts, and particularly its influence and impact on
sexual development. There were no studies that specifically examined the sexualising
impact of the media on children put before the committee.
3.18
Professor Catharine Lumby, Director, Journalism and Media Research
Centre, University of New South Wales, and Dr Katherine Albury, Postdoctoral
Research Fellow, Journalism and Media Research Centre, University of New South
Wales, submitted that research is needed into the effects of children's
undoubtedly higher levels of exposure to media in all its forms:
It is true that children and teenagers are more likely to come
into contact with media material designed for adults, via the internet as well
as numerous popular media products. It is also true that there is a growing
volume of popular media material designed with children as well as teenagers in
mind. There is a real need for broad, evidence based research, which examines
how children and young people understand this material. [19]
3.19
Dr Devora Lieberman, President, Sexual Health and Family Planning
Australia (SHFPA), agreed that more Australian research is needed. [20]
Ms Gordon commented on the type of research needed in order to better inform
understanding of children:
In Australia we lack significant longitudinal studies about a
whole range of things that would help to inform us what is legitimate in the
way we look at children. Starting by understanding how a nine-year-old now is
different from a nine-year-old 20 years ago and finding out more about
nine-year-olds in 10 years time would be extremely useful in informing us about
educational policy et cetera. [21]
3.20
Evidence considered by the committee makes it clear that children begin
developing a gender identity very early, that the totality of their social
environment has a strong effect in shaping their future attitudes and
behaviours, and that they learn social behaviour by observing adults and
engaging in extensive mimicry of adults and social situations. However, the
extent to which media images and messages influence children's behaviour has
not been established. What research has been done tends to indicate that
children are not 'empty vessels' who simply accept what they see portrayed in
the media, but are active consumers who examine and critique what they see
based on what they have learned so far. [22]
Professor Lumby and Dr Albury pointed to:
...[a] growing body of international research suggesting that
young people make sense of the media in very different and diverse ways. Many
young people access existing media in ways that may assist the formation of
healthy sexual identities, including seeking factual information on sex and
relationships from sex advisers and problem pages in magazines... [23]
3.21
Parental guidance and attitude appear to be major factors of influence
in the framework children use to interpret media. Professor Lumby and Dr Albury
observed:
Recent British research indicates that parents can ‘model’ or
reinforce particular responses to sexual material, and hence particular sexual
identities for their children. The media do not have an autonomous abilit
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