62 February 2014 www.womanthismonth.com exposure to media and commercial marketing. The concern here relates partly to children’s viewing of media material designed for an older audience (such as music videos) and to material explicitly targeting them (such as teen magazines, clothing and toys). Although the primary focus is on girls, viewed as being preoccupied with the need to appear sexually attractive at a younger age, material is also believed to affect boys’ attitudes towards girls and their own selfimage. The authors argue that the sexualisation of childhood has a range of damaging consequences for children’s mental and physical health. In extreme situations, they believe this can lead to depression and suicide, eating disorders and abuse, where children are victims and parents are sometimes powerless. The solution Talk to your children and share your views on right and wrong from an early age. Keep such conversations alive to ensure full transparency. Beaware of the type of marketing that is out there, whilst also knowing where your child spends his or her time and money both on and off line. If companies make a stance and embrace corporate social responsibility by making appropriate decisions when developing products and services for children, this certainly can help avoid parents, schools, agencies, societies, regulators and governments from complaining. Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence thinks it should be illegal to call someone fat on TV. According to her, media needs to take responsibility for the effect that it has on the younger generation. Shocking statistics A study by University College London has found that around 10 percent of 13-year-old girls are terrified about putting on weight. Their findings, in the Journal of Adolescent Health, came from interviews with the parents of 7,082 13-year-olds. Nearly 12 percent of girls and five percent of boys were terrified by the thought of getting fat. Fifty-two percent of girls and a third of the boys said they were a little worried about gaining weight. The ratio of those distressed by their body shape was one for every three girls and one for every four boys. g
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